The Daemon of Pein
by The Disciple of Pein
Summary: The Gedo Mazo is gone. Now Pein's plans are at risk. Without being able to seal the Biju, how can he possibly succeed? There is only one option. Gather the Jinchuriki, starting with the host of the Kyubi no Yoko.
1. A sealed fate

Well, here's the first chapter of my third story. This was a challenge set out to me, so I have to live up to my standards. I'm a novice, but I seem to have an exceptional update rate, within one to three days, and come up with some unusual but well thought out plots... christ this is starting to sound like a CV. But I'm writing for the fun of it, so let me know if this is worth continuing. If not, I've got a couple other stories ready to focus on instead.

Disclaimer: typing disclaimer is just a formality, I'll rarely use this space for that purpose.

* * *

**A sealed fate**

A droplet of rain falls from above, leaving its home in the sky on the journey to earth. It succumbs to the wonders of gravity, descending from its heavenly bed. A small ray of sunlight shines through, revealing the entire spectrum of wonder inside this tiny grain of water. But the droplet knows none of its potential, it sees only the path ahead, without truly knowing where it is going, or why.

The time in which it takes from the start of this raindrop's life, to the end, can only be described as ephemeral. And as if to follow such a name, this raindrop serves a purpose like none of its brethren ever have. It plummets through the air, the first thing coming into sight the grey rocks of the land. But then as it draws nearer, its destination appears to be an odd black shape that lies on the ground beneath it. But that is a false belief as well, as the raindrops view is filled with a round orange shape, with a dark hole to one side. It is that hole which the raindrop falls through, breaking on a strange combination of white, red and black. That strange symbol which the colours formed, it was nothing like the raindrop had ever seen. But that enigmatic symbol, whatever it was, reacts violently to Ephemeral's touch. A huge set of jaws swallows dear Ephemeral up, before chewing on the poor thing furiously, until the short lived beauty was no more.

"What do you intend to do now?" asked Uchiha Madara, "Without the Gedō Mazo."

He raised his head, the most movement he could manage due to the black rods impaled through his arms and legs. He looked at the person standing before him, a man with long orange hair that fell down his back. This man had a heavily pierced face, with black objects just like the rods piercing the defeated Uchiha before him. The man looked down at Madara with impassive eyes, eyes which were grey, with several black circles surrounding the pupil. The man reached forward, a hand procuring from his black cloak, the red clouds appearing to billow with his movement. The hand was placed atop the rod that pierced Madara's right leg, he gripped it and twisted, forcing Madara to cringe in pain.

"If I cannot have the weapon." the man said, with no signs of remorse for Madara's suffering, "Then I simply need… disciples."

"Disciples?" Madara repeated, letting out a dry laugh, the only dry thing in this place, "You will build an army? How do you expect to gain that many followers?"

"Man is attracted to power." the man replied, "The power to inflict pain upon his enemies. I need simply bring those beings of power to stand by my side, and others will follow."

"The Jinchuriki? Ha! You think you can control them? You may know pain, but you do not know their pain. They will never follow you."

"It is that pain that ensures they will follow me. I will offer them a release from that pain, and give them the peace they so desire, if that is what they wish."

Madara chuckled cruelly, looking at the man before him as if he was a child.

"Can't you see?" he asked, "Peace is but an illusion. Casting that illusion only stops conflict, but it cannot stop people from feeling hatred."

The man released the rod, moving slowly around Madara, until he was standing at the Uchiha's head.

"Total peace is not my goal." he said, "Without pain, peace can never be understood. As such, I will show the world that pain, my pain."

The man then reached out again, placing his hand this time upon Madara's head.

"You have experienced much pain in this world, Uchiha Madara." the man said, gripping Madara's head, "Now, find peace."

With that, he pulled his hand away, and the light faded from Madara's eyes as his soul was removed from his body. The man removed Madara's mask, tossing it aside. He then studied the Uchiha's dead face contemplatively, as if considering something about the ancient man.

"No." he said, before turning and walking away.

* * * * *

The trees passed in a blur, the leaves melding together into one long line. The dark knight sky gave the forest an ominous look, every shadow looked like an enemy, but they also seemed to be the safest place, like such an embrace could save from other pain. The forest was silent, the creatures of the trees watched in interest at the spectacle before them.

It wasn't because of speed that the trees were but a blur. It was the eyes of the person seeing them, tears obscuring the vision. For in truth, this person was never fast enough for the world to seem that way otherwise. But this child was too blinded by fear to even notice this trivial point.

He landed on a bough, his hands and feet touching the wood as he moved on all fours. He then kicked off again, moving in such an animalistic way, he really seemed like a tormented pup, being chased by a wolf.

"Come on Naruto-kun, you know running is pointless!"

Naruto did his best to ignore the voice, echoing through the trees. But it wasn't easy, that person was really getting to him.

"Iruka-kun won't be able to protect you anymore!"

"Shut up!" Naruto cried, his tears falling down his face, "Get away from me!"

"'Get away from me'? Ha ha! How pathetic!"

Naruto grabbed onto an overhead branch, using it to swing around and change his direction. But the voice followed him still, that cruel laugh coming from every direction.

"Come on little fox, can't you see you're trapped?" the voice asked. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of the voice. But he forced them open again, It was stupid to run with your eyes closed. He prayed for his escape, to get away from the person tracking him. He leapt down to the ground, hoping to find a tree to hide behind. He ran to the largest one he could see, and hid among the roots, curling into a ball. He held in his arms Konoha's Scroll of Sealing, which he had stolen just recently. He had been promised that if he could do that, and learn one of the Jutsu's within the scroll, he'd be granted the rank of Genin. But the person who had told him so, Mizuki, had lied. He tricked Naruto into stealing the scroll for him, and intended on taking it for himself. Naruto's sensei, Umino Iruka, had fought to protect Naruto, and had ordered him to run. But here Mizuki was, chasing him once more. Did that mean he'd killed Iruka? The thought terrified Naruto to his heart. If Iruka really had died…

"Do you wish for assistance?"

Naruto froze. That voice… it didn't belong to Mizuki, or even Iruka. It was a voice Naruto had never heard before, completely unfamiliar to him. It also sounded close, like it was literally right next to him. Naruto's eyes whipped around, trying to catch the person who had spoken in his gaze. But there was no one around, not that he could see.

"Who… who is that?" Naruto asked quietly, in case Mizuki heard.

"If you like, we can save you from this man."

"**However, we won't do so for free. In exchange for your life, you will come with us."**

"Do you accept?"

Naruto's eyes widened, there were two of them?! He felt incredibly uneasy about these two disembodied voices, but he couldn't have felt less safe than he already did. However, he couldn't bring himself to trust these voices either, they could easily-

"Naruto-o, where are you?" Mizuki's voice rang out.

"Ok! I accept!" Naruto cried, curling into a tighter ball. The voices didn't reply, but he heard what sounded like a low scraping, like wood rubbing against wood. It came from behind him, but when Naruto looked, he saw nothing. Just the tree that stood behind him.

"Come out come out Naruto-kuuun." Mizuki's voice called goadingly, "Don't make me- GRAH!"

Naruto flinched at the cry. Mizuki had been getting progressively closer as he said that, any longer and Naruto would have probably been found. But he didn't let his guard down, he still felt a great sense of fear, maybe even more so after that scream. But after a moment, there was only silence. Carefully, he raised his head, looking around worriedly. It seemed like Mizuki was gone, there were no signs of him. So then those people must have-

"It is done."

Naruto spun round, his eyes widening in terror. Where there had once been nothing, there was a man, actually _extending _out of the tree. Naruto pulled himself back with his hand, this didn't look like man, more like a monster. Half of his body was pale white, while the other completely black. His eyes were a yellow colour, staring down impassively at Naruto. His short hair was also a greyed shade of green, which was a colour of hair Naruto had never seen before. He was surrounded by a strange sort of plant, it looked like he was lying inside two jagged leaves, only his upper torso visible through it. The man looked down at Naruto expectantly, before moving further out of the tree. As he did that, the wood seemed to cling to him, as if he had actually been a part of the tree before, but was tearing himself free of it. As he moved, Naruto noticed the strange clothes he was wearing. He had a black cloak on, with a very wide colour to accommodate the strange leaves around him. The cloak had a red line running down its middle where there were also strange red clouds. The man finally stepped out from the tree standing before the cowering Naruto.

"It is done." the man said, **"Your pursuer is dead."**

As if to prove this point, he dragged something forward with his arm and dropped it in front of Naruto, who looked down at it, petrified. It was the body of Mizuki, with a long slash across his throat. Mizuki stared up at Naruto with dead eyes, as if surprised by his predicament. Naruto stared at the face, before looking up at the man with equal terror.

"Now that we have fulfilled our end of the bargain, you will keep yours." the man said, but in the voice of the other. This man was both of them?

"_This guy…" _Naruto thought, as he crawled back some more, holding the scroll in front of him for protection, _"He's insane!"_

"You have no need to fear us child." the man said, in the first voice, before changing back to the second, **"If we meant you any harm, then we would have left you to this person."**

Naruto gulped down hard. This person, or persons, had a point. There would have been no reason to kill Mizuki if they were going to kill him as well. But he still felt uneasy, something which was clear on his face. The man took a step forward, leaning close to see Naruto's face.

"**You had better not be thinking of breaking your word, you cannot escape us." **he said. But then the white side looked to the black reproachfully, and that one fell silent. He then looked down at Naruto, who had become even more frightened by his words, "I apologise for that, it was unnecessary for him to say such things."

Naruto stared up at the man, he was beyond insane!

"Let me ask you something." the man said, "Are you lonely child?"

Naruto's expression shifted from fear to surprise. How could he know that? The man nodded at the change of attitude, before smiling warmly.

"When you are alone, the only person you have is yourself. But it is our wish to take you somewhere, where there are others like yourself." he said, "Lonely, and very unique people, _exactly _like yourself."

"People… like me?" Naruto repeated, with a dazed look. He thought about what Mizuki had told him, about the Kyubi being sealed inside him. Was it really possible that there were others out there who were the same? It couldn't be, it was impossible. Naruto reached up to his jacket, squeezing the fabric at his chest tight. There couldn't be anyone like him, he was a monster, wasn't he?

"You are aware of what is inside you." the man said gently, "You are not the only one with a Biju sealed within you."

Naruto looked up again, his brow creasing in confusion. A Biju? What was that?

"You possess the Kyubi." the man said, picking up on Naruto's thoughts, "That is but one of nine Biju in this land. There are eight others like yourself, who live in the same fear and sorrow that you do. If you'll let us, we would like you to meet them."

Naruto blinked slowly, staring the man in his left eye, the side that seemed to be kind. Eight others like him… it almost sounded to good to be true. But in that case, was it?

"**For what reason should you remain here?" **the black side asked, speaking up again, **"From what I heard, this place holds no happiness for you."**

Naruto looked down again, this man was right. With Iruka gone, what reason did he have to stay there? Sure, there was Shikamaru and the others, but they were Genin now. They would soon be going out on missions and Naruto would be left behind, forgotten. That was the last thing he wanted, but it didn't look like there was anything he could do about it.

"Other people… like me." he repeated, before slowly looking up at the man, "Can you really take me to them?"

"Of course." the man replied, smiling again. He straightened up and grabbed the body of Mizuki, hauling it over his shoulder, "Come with us, we have to leave."

"You're… taking him?" Naruto asked, looking at Mizuki uneasily.

"**We cannot allow any traces that we were here." **the black side replied, before changing again, "I'm sorry, but he will have to come with us, at least until we can dispose of him."

Naruto looked up at the man, then to Mizuki. He was still undecided, he just didn't feel right about this. He looked to his right, Konoha was just over there. If he could get away, would he be able to find one of the guards in time?

"I wonder… are you afraid if us, **because we look like a monster?"**

Naruto's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open. A monster…

"_Stay away from him."_

"_We're not supposed to come near you!"_

"_Freak!"_

Naruto lowered his gaze, closing his mouth. A monster, that was what everyone thought of him in there, and no matter what he tried, that had never changed. He steadily got to his feet, his fingers clenching and unclenching as he built up the courage to voice his decision.

"Ok…" he said, "I'm coming."

The man nodded down at him in an understanding manner, before turning away.

"That's good to hear." he said, **"Let's move. And drop that scroll, it will only make Konoha follow us."**

Naruto nodded, placing the scroll against a nearby tree. He then turned back around to the man, who had already begun walking off. He followed quietly, doing his best to keep pace with this strange looking person. He glanced up at him, or them, he seemed to refer to himself as two separate people, and the way he spoke suggested just that. Naruto averted his gaze just as that person, or persons, glanced at him. He smirked, or at least the white side did. The black side remained straight faced, which just made him all the more unusual.

"I suppose since we are now travelling together, introductions are in order." he said, **"You can call us… Zetsu."**

Naruto raised his brow at Zetsu. He was still fairly certain this person was insane, but now he was beginning to understand why he thought so. He spoke of loneliness with such recognition, yet acted as if he was two different people, and that both of them went by the same single name? It was enough to give him a headache. But then he blinked as Zetsu looked at him expectantly, awaiting a reply.

"Oh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto." he said, looking ahead once more. He was really confused, he'd never imagine he'd be in a situation like this, it was unbelievable. Although he'd never been exactly happy in the village, it was still his home, right? But then again, he'd failed at becoming a Shinobi once more. He knew that leaving would only make it almost impossible to become Hokage, but he was only a villager at the moment, it wouldn't be a big deal if he left, and he could probably come back later, right?

"_Will I be able to come back?" _he thought, suddenly realising he _could, "Yeah, this guy has to be a Shinobi! And he managed to defeat Mizuki easily! If I can get him to train me, I'll become a Genin in no time!"_

Naruto almost asked Zetsu this, but decided against it. After all, this person was still rather intimidating, he was carrying Mizuki's corpse after all. But there was one thing he was curious about.

"You said there were others like me." he said, glancing up at Zetsu, "So they're all in the same place?"

"**I think any further details about that should probably be given to you by leader-sama." **Zetsu replied, keeping his eyes ahead, "To be honest, we're not entirely certain what's going on either."

"Huh? Leader-sama?" Naruto repeated, "So you're like, part of a group or something?"

"You could say that. **We're more like an organisation."**

Naruto raised his brow, looking ahead once more. They continued to walk in silence, the moonlight behind keeping their path clear. To anyone looking, it would have been a terrifying sight. Naruto noticed Zetsu's shadow cast across the ground, the thing around him resembled a set of jaws on the dirt. It was true, if appearances represented the person within, then Zetsu really was a monster. But from what Naruto had seen so far, he wasn't that at all.

"Hey, Zetsu-san?" Naruto asked, "What're you going to do with… him?"

Zetsu glanced down at Naruto for a moment, before his eyes returned to the road ahead.

"I will consume him." he replied simply.

Ok, maybe he was a monster.

* * * * *

The night sky was amazingly clear tonight, such a thing hadn't been seen in quite a while. It was very rare for moonlight to be cast upon the village hidden in the rain, Amegakure. But in this situation, it was better that the village could be seen. From a perch high above, a man sat on what appeared to be a long tongue protruding from a face, an architectural monstrosity as it was, but this man's preference nonetheless. His orange and spiky hair was darkened in the night, and the many piercings on his face would have been lost in the shadows if not for the shining orb high above. He watched the village below expressionlessly, his grey, rippled eyes studying the visible tiers with complete disinterest. Yet at the same time, he couldn't draw his eyes away.

"It appears Zetsu-san was successful." he said, in a clear tone, "Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyubi Jinchuriki, willingly complied."

"I see." replied a woman's voice, from behind the mouth of the face, inside the building, "What has he learned?"

"The boy is not a Shinobi, he is still an academy rank student. He has no ties to Konohagakure, and it appears the villagers do not trust him. It would seem leaving was an easy option for him."

"If he is only an academy student, then he will need training." the woman said, stepping out into the light. She looked at the man with amber eyes, her stoic persona almost completely believable. Her eyelids were painted the same colour as her short hair, a cobalt blue. In her hair, she wore a bun, with an origami rose made of a very pale blue paper. Just below her lip was a silver stud, something which was nowhere near the extremes of the man before her.

"You are correct." the man agreed, glancing at her over his right, "It will take some time. According to Zetsu-san, he is below amateurish."

"Do we really need someone that weak?" the woman asked, her brow creasing.

"If you recall, we were once weak." the man replied, turning forward once again, "I will leave deciding who will train him to you."

The woman watched the man for a moment longer, before nodding and turning away.

"And Konan." the man said, "Make sure he is secure. The power he possesses will be difficult to contain if unleashed. Do not make him feel trapped."

"I understand Pein." Konan replied, without looking back. She left the room, Pein glancing back as he heard the door close. He turned ahead again, raising his hand to his mouth.

"This is going to take some time." he muttered, "Everything has changed."

* * * * *

Zetsu glanced over his shoulder, his brow creasing in annoyance. Naruto noticed this and turned around, but saw nothing. Just the leaves moving gently in the breeze. He looked up at Zetsu questioningly, wondering what on earth could have instilled such a reaction.

"It seems Konoha still wishes to follow us." Zetsu muttered, **"They are tracking this one's scent."**

"They're still after us?" Naruto asked, looking back again, "What for? I left the scroll like you told me to."

"The villages like to use people like you as weapons." Zetsu replied, **"They wish to capture you."**

"Capture me?" Naruto repeated worriedly. He didn't like the sound of that. It didn't seem like Konoha would do such a thing, but then he'd thought the same thing of Mizuki, so he didn't really know what to think. Zetsu crouched down on the ground, looking at Naruto expectantly.

"**Get on." **he ordered, the leaves on his head separating, "We need to make haste."

Naruto blinked, he didn't like the idea of climbing between those things, that looked so much like a set of jaws. But the sounds of dogs barking helped make up his mind. He quickly climbed up Zetsu's back and onto his shoulders. Almost immediately, a kunai flew overhead, barely missing Naruto's left ear. Naruto was stunned, they were willing to _attack _him. His shock kept him form noticing as the leaves on the leaves closed and Zetsu dived into the ground, immediately disappearing. It was pitch black inside the leaves, Naruto could see nothing. All his senses could give him was the constant dull rumbling from just outside and the feel of Zetsu's shoulders which he sat on.

Something which struck Naruto's curiosity was that inside this place, the air was as clear as it would be outside. Cleaner, in fact. This surprised Naruto as they were in a cramped and enclosed space. He almost asked, but then he remembered Zetsu's strange appearance. Perhaps it was more than visual? He then felt Zetsu's head turn, and saw a faint yellow glow coming from his eyes.

"I hope you are not claustrophobic?" he asked, **"This journey could be a while."**

"No, I'm alright." Naruto replied. In truth, he used to hide under his bed during thunderstorms. It wasn't tight spaces he was afraid of, "But… I am feeling a little dizzy."

"That's understandable." Zetsu said, turning back, **"These conditions aren't ideal for others."**

Naruto stared at the back of Zetsu's head. This was most definitely a peculiar situation to be in. even now as he thought about it, it still didn't really make sense to him. However, one thing was certain. Zetsu was a Shinobi, and he belonged to an organisation, possibly consisting of even more Shinobi. That meant that if Naruto could convince them to train him, then he could become stronger much faster than if he'd stayed at the academy. That's what he was counting on anyway.

"So how far are we going?" he asked, unsure of how fast they were going. He had never travelled in such a way, after all.

"We won't be underground for much longer." Zetsu replied, **"We have escaped the Konoha nin."**

That surprised Naruto, they were already so far away? How could anything underground move at all, never mind with such speed?

"I get it!" Naruto thought aloud, "This must be a Jutsu!"

"You are correct. **He's only just realising this?"**

Naruto suddenly found his situation incredibly interesting. He had no idea this could be done with Ninjutsu, it was amazing! He looked around, these leaves must be something to do with this Jutsu, right? So what did they do, and how did Zetsu make them? Could he learn to do something like this?

"You certainly do ask a lot of questions." Zetsu muttered, **"Be quiet, it's annoying."**

Naruto blinked in surprise, he hadn't realised he'd said all that aloud. But still, they were questions he would definitely find the answers to sooner or later. It was just a matter of when.

"**This should do. **I agree."

Naruto fell back as they ascended, the rumbling sound fading away as they broke through the surface. Naruto's back was pressed against the leaves as Zetsu stood, and he fell back onto the ground as they opened.

"Ow." Naruto complained, rubbing the back of his head. Zetsu looked back at Naruto expressionlessly.

"Our journey is not yet over." he said, **"And yet we must rest. It has been several days, and we grow tired."**

"Really?" Naruto asked, after all the excitement, sleep was one of the last things on his mind, "Well… is there an inn or something?"

"An inn?" Zetsu repeated, with an amused look on his face, **"No establishment would allow us inside.** Besides, as we are sustained through methods unavailable at Inns, we carry no money."

"So we're sleeping outside?" Naruto asked, clearly not thrilled by the idea. He had slept outside a couple of times before, as part of his self-training, but he hadn't particularly enjoyed it. However, if Zetsu didn't have any money then there was nothing he could do about it.

Zetsu took a few steps to the left, walking towards a tree next to some bushes. He sat down with his back against the tree, bowing his head as he immediately went to rest. Naruto paused, before joining him, sitting against the tree to Zetsu's right, but not too close. He glanced up at the ever peculiar man, who didn't acknowledge the gaze and kept his eyes closed. Naruto dropped his gaze, and pulled up his collar. It was a cold night.

"_If I was ever gonna try and escape, now would probably be the best time." _he thought, _"If he's been awake so long, slipping away shouldn't be hard."_

He huddled up tight, trying his best to keep the cold out. It was particularly chilly tonight, the cool breeze had become sharper, and the temperature had dropped considerably. All the sweat on Naruto's body kept him damp, which helped in no way whatsoever. He shifted down into a lying position, curling into a ball for warmth. How anyone could sleep in these conditions was beyond him.

Naruto's brow raised a little as he felt something very light touch his head. He glanced up, a leaf had fallen on him. His brow raised further as more leaves began to flutter from their branches, floating down towards him. This was strange, summer had barely started, so why were leaves falling? They all fell on and around Naruto, covering him like a blanket. He slowly cast his eyes down, and his surprise reached its epitome as he found out the reason for the leaves strange actions. Zetsu's right hand was pressed against the trunk of the tree, putting unnecessary pressure on it. Zetsu was doing this for him? Naruto was taken aback, it didn't seem like something this person would do.

"_Maybe… I'll go with him." _Naruto thought, as he lowered his goggles over his eyes. The eye on Zetsu's white side opened slightly, surveying Naruto casually. He allowed a small smile, before closing it again.

"_That was surprisingly kind of you." _he thought, _**"Our orders are to bring him to leader-sama. He will not appreciate a sick child. **__Ah… I see."_


	2. In the eyes of god

Well, by reading this chapter I can assume you've at least decided to give this story second try. This thing is unusual for me, as I can't rely on canon like I used to. Absolutely nothing from canon can happen in this story, at least nothing I can think of. Because of that every aspect of the plot will be completely original, so i can't rely on the readers familiarity with any scenes I use. Guess that means I'll be taking it very slow, letting you get a feel for the surroundings, but more importantly the characters.

Disclaimer: Anyone wanting an idea for a Neji Tenten fic, ask away. I was gonna write it, but I can't stand the idea of a chapter filled with Lee and Gai. It's first come forst serve however, so you'll need to act fast. Anyone else, give me a pairing and I'll see if i can think up a plot for it, I'm pretty good at that.

* * *

**In the eyes of god**

Naruto woke the next morning to the dawn sun breaking over the horizon. The sky was a clear and calming blue, gently overlooking the world as it hazily opened its eyes. He sat up, the leaves that had served as his blanket rustling as they fell to the ground. He shuffled back against the tree, raising his goggles back to his forehead. For a moment, Naruto wondered where he was. The air was something new to him, and not just because it was clean. He had a feeling like he was completely at ease, as if there was no weight at all holding him down. It was nice, he could really get used to it.

He glanced to his left, raising his brow in surprise. There was a person next to him, a man with fair skin and dark hair. He sat exactly where Zetsu had, and was wearing his cloak for some reason. But he was fast asleep, his head bowed peacefully. Naruto leant forward, looking at this man curiously. He did sort of look like Zetsu, although because of that person's peculiar face, distinguishing features had been hard to make out. But this one had the same kind of hair, and an identical build. Really, the only things that were different were the colour of his skin, and the missing leaves that engulfed Zetsu.

"_Maybe this guy… _is _Zetsu-san." _Naruto thought, cocking his head to the side, _"Maybe the way he looks is just a Jutsu, and it wears off when he goes to sleep."_

Suddenly, Zetsu opened his eyes, and in an instant he went through a transformation. White and black rushed up his body, hastily returning his skin to his former colour. Naruto also noticed his eyes were blue, but then they turned to yellow as the two waves of non colour flooded past them. There was also a rustling sound as the leaves seemed to grow from his cloak, quickly surrounding him once more. In a moment, he looked exactly the same as he did last night, minus the difference in lighting. He glanced to his right, raising his brow curiously as he saw Naruto had crawled back several feet, pointing an accusing finger at him with an incredulous look.

"What the hell just happened?!" Naruto demanded, looking seriously spooked. There was no way that was a Jutsu, Zetsu hadn't made any hand seals or anything!

"What are you talking about?" Zetsu asked, **"It's rude to point."**

"Your skin! It- it was normal a moment ago!" Naruto stammered, his hand shaking in shock. Zetsu narrowed his eyes at Naruto, a reproachful look on his face.

"**I beg your pardon?" **he asked, venomously, "For us, this _is_ normal."

"Oh! I- I didn't mean it like that!" Naruto said hastily, with a horrified look on his face. He bowed forward, sweat pouring down his face, "I'm sorry, I was just surprised!"

Zetsu looked at Naruto for a moment longer, before his expression relaxed. He got to his feet, looking at the path ahead.

"We wouldn't know about that." he said, expressionlessly, **"We were asleep, after all."**

With that, he began walking off, leaving the boy on his hands and knees. Naruto raised his head, the sweat subsiding, and quickly clambered to his feet before following.

They didn't walk on the main path, as Naruto had expected. Instead they kept to the trees, walking far enough from the road that they wouldn't likely be spotted easily. Naruto had no idea where they were, geography wasn't his strong point. But Zetsu seemed to know where he was going which was great, it would be pretty lame if he didn't.

Naruto found himself constantly glancing up at Zetsu, but he never looked back. Naruto bowed his head, he had been pretty out of line back there. He just hadn't imagined Zetsu would be so defensive about it, neither of him really seemed like that type. But then, who was he to judge?

"_Man, I screwed up." _he thought,_ "I shouldn't have said that."_

"I suppose you will be hungry?" Zetsu asked, without looking, **"Our diet is probably not best suited for you."**

"Huh?" Naruto looked up at Zetsu in surprise. It looked like he had already let what Naruto said go. That actually kind of made Naruto feel guiltier, it seemed like Zetsu was used to that sort of thing, "Uh, I'm fine."

However, as if to contradict his words, it was then that his stomach chose to make its presence known. Zetsu cocked a brow, and reached into his cloak.

"**There is an inn up ahead." **he said, pulling out a small package, "Help yourself to breakfast, we will wait outside."

He handed the package over to Naruto, which turned out to be a wallet. Naruto accepted it curiously, looking back up at Zetsu.

"I thought you didn't have any money?" he asked, confused. Zetsu nodded.

"Indeed we don't." he said simply, before pointing off to the right, **"It is over there**, we will wait for you up ahead."

Naruto blinked again, looking between the wallet and the point Zetsu was gesturing to. Then he glanced back up at Zetsu questioningly, before nodding and hurrying off.

He soon found the road again, and like Zetsu had said, he could see an inn further down. He walked down the path towards it, it didn't seem particularly busy, or maybe it was just too early. He gripped the wallet in his hands, wondering how much he had. He lifted it to eye level, and with his other hand he undid the button and opened it. His eyes widened in shock as Mizuki's looked right back at him.

"Gah!" he cried, dropping the wallet on the ground. He stared down at the picture inside the identification card, which seemed to stare back coolly. This was Mizuki's wallet, Zetsu must have taken it. Naruto watched it nervously, as if it would attack him like its owner did. But after a few moments, he got over this irrational fear and cautiously crouched down. He reached out to it, almost afraid of its touch. He couldn't stand the idea of carrying that thing with him, but he was really hungry. He reached into the fabric, carefully pulling out the money inside. It wasn't much, but he would have probably felt guiltier if it was more. Mizuki had tried to kill him, and had killed Iruka, but he still felt uneasy about doing something as underhanded as this.

He took the money in his hand, and got to his feet. He continued to watch the face in the wallet, hoping he wouldn't be judged for this. Then he walked over it, wanting to make as much distance from that thing as he could.

He reached the inn, which really looked like a pleasant place to be. It seemed more like a large cottage than the inn's back at Konoha, it really gave the building a warm glow. He stepped inside the front doors, and the two receptionists at the desk smiled at him. They were almost identical, middle aged women with brown tied back hair. In fact, the only differences was how they parted their hair, the one on the left had hers parted to the left, and vice versa to the other one.

"Good morning young man." the woman on the left said cheerfully, before the other one asked, "How can we help you?"

Naruto, who was taken aback by the similarities between the two women, momentarily forgot the reason he had come at all, however, his stomach was eager to remind him. He put his hand against it and the other behind his head, before grinning nervously at the two women.

"Hi, uh, is there a place I can get something to eat?" he asked, rubbing his head.

"Of course!" the woman on the right replied brightly, "Our cafeteria is just down this way, enjoy!"

"Oh, thanks." Naruto replied, smiling at them both. He then headed in the direction the woman was gesturing, down the hall to his right. Even inside was nicely decorated, the walls were a warm naples yellow, with ferns hanging between the doors to the rooms of the inn. At the end of the hallway, a set of double doors opened up into a terrace, where there were round wooden tables with parasols for people to eat at. Outside the terrace, there was a water feature, a coy pond if Naruto remembered correctly. The place had an air of luxury around it, which really gave Naruto a feeling of… displacement.

"_Man, I really don't belong in a place like this." _he thought, looking around nervously, _"But I can't just leave, Zetsu-san is annoyed with me as it is!"_

"Can I help you young man?"

Naruto glanced to his left with a raised brow. Along the wall of the inn was an opening to the kitchen, where a counter had been placed for trade. Behind it stood a young man who smiled welcomingly at Naruto. He had short brown hair, a little messy, but in an intentional way. Naruto walked over to him, looking at the menu attached to the counter in front of him. The young man waited patiently for Naruto's reply, recognising his unease.

"I suppose you're not used to ordering for yourself?" he asked, with an understanding smile.

"Oh, uh, it's not that." Naruto replied, looking up at the man. If there was one thing Naruto knew how to do, it was order for himself, "I've just never been to a place like this before."

"Don't travel much huh?" the man asked, "Well there isn't really much difference here than a take away, except for quality of course. Just take your time and let me know when you've made your decision."

"Ok!" Naruto replied, taking an instant liking to this guy. He reminded him of Ayame, the waitress at Naruto's favourite place to eat, Ichiraku ramen. The thought of leaving that place behind almost made Naruto want to go back to Konoha now, but he resisted, "Uh… yes!"

"I take it you've found something?" the young man asked.

"Yeah! Pork Miso Ramen!" Naruto replied, adding emphasis to each word.

"All right, coming right up!" the young man replied, before turning around and setting to work. Naruto glanced around, before taking a seat in a nearby chair at one of the tables. He glanced around, it really was nice here. Birds were flying in the trees outside, singing away without embarrassment. The fish in the pond swam absent mindedly, curious about their own home. Any residents of the inn were still fast asleep, it looked like Naruto was the only awake customer they had right now.

"You know, I don't think I've ever met anyone who ordered ramen for breakfast." the young man said, as he poured the noodles into the bowl.

"Well, you have now!" Naruto replied brightly. It was true, Ichiraku ramen had never been busy in the morning, ramen was more of a heavy meal, better suited for lunch or dinner. However, Naruto burnt most of the calories gained from his incredible diet in between meals, so it wasn't really a problem for him.

"I guess there really is a first time for anything." the man smiled, as he added the soup. Naruto nodded in agreement, a wasted movement considering the man couldn't see him, "Well, here you go!"

The young man placed the steaming bowl of ramen out for Naruto, who got up to take it. He reached out and placed all the money he'd taken from Mizuki's wallet and placed it before the young man.

"Thanks!" Naruto replied, before he took his ramen and walked back to the table, placing it down with the chopsticks he'd picked up.

"Hold on a minute!" the man said, with a startled look, "This is more than twice the cost!"

"That's alright, you can keep the change." Naruto replied. It wasn't out of generosity, he just really wanted to get that money off his hands.

"Are you sure about that?" the young man asked. They pooled tips in this inn, so he really couldn't be greedy about Naruto's decision.

"Mm-hm!" Naruto replied, his mouth already full of food. The young man shrugged, before taking the money and putting it away. He then returned to getting the breakfast options ready, leaving Naruto to his meal.

It was really good, this ramen. Nothing on Ichiraku's, but he definitely enjoyed it. It wasn't completely perfect however, he had bought it with Mizuki's money after all. The money Zetsu had taken just for Naruto's sake.

Naruto looked down into his ramen, losing his appetite a little. He had only just met Zetsu last night, but he couldn't help feeling guilty about his reaction. He had been almost exactly like the villagers in Konoha.

"_No, I was worse." _he thought, shamefully, _"Because I knew what he was like, and _then _I acted that way."_

It really made him feel like scum. Was this what it was like to be on the other side of things? Zetsu hadn't judged him, so why was it so easy for Naruto to turn it around? Was it because of what happened with Mizuki, and what Zetsu had intended to do with him? It was pretty easy to judge him by _those _standards, but Naruto knew very well that there was more than that. Zetsu had helped him out three times now, even though he didn't know Naruto at all. To be honest, Zetsu kind of reminded Naruto of himself, a little.

He smiled weakly into his bowl, the soup reflecting his expression back at him. There really hadn't been enough noodle in it. He picked up the bowl and drained the rest of it, swallowing every last drop. He then turned around and walked over to the counter, where the young man looked at him, a clear sweat drop on his brow.

"So… fast…" he muttered weakly, as Naruto placed the empty bowl down. He then blinked in surprise as Naruto smiled to himself, before glancing up at the young man.

"Actually… I was wondering if you could do something for me." Naruto said.

* * * * *

"Zetsu-san is certainly taking his time." Konan said, as she stood by the window.

"Of course." Pein replied from his perch. He had kept the weather clear, he had expected Zetsu to arrive sooner, "He isn't alone after all. It would seem he has taken Naruto-san's needs into great consideration."

"That's quite a surprise." Konan said, placing her hand on the wall, "I never really imagined he would go to such lengths for someone else."

Pein glanced over his shoulder, his expressionless face revealing nothing. It was enough to almost make Konan flinch. He then looked ahead again, with Konan's eyes locked on him.

"Perhaps you are growing comfortable." he said, "Do you find your life to be… peaceful?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Konan replied, looking away. Pein looked out the corner of his eye, sensing her expression. He soon looked away, not caring to maintain the motion.

"_You are many things Konan, but a good judge of character, you are not."_ he thought, _"However, that may change soon."_

"Have you decided who it will be to train Naruto-san?" he asked, sitting back. He looked surprisingly relaxed for someone who was always in deep thought. Konan looked at him again, quietly glad of the change in topic.

"Yes, I have." she replied.

* * * * *

"Here you go!" Naruto said brightly, holding his hands out to Zetsu.

"What is this?" Zetsu asked, as he took the object from Naruto's hands. It was a cup with a pair of chopsticks inside. filled with something steaming. He looked inside with a raised brow, "Ramen?"

"Yeah, I just figured you probably don't eat people all the time!" Naruto replied, grinning as he rubbed the back of his head. Zetsu gave him a bemused look, before continuing on his way with Naruto close behind. They climbed up a tall hill, as Zetsu silently ate the ramen. Naruto couldn't remove the grin from his face as he watched him do this. It was then that he noticed something he probably should have earlier.

"Hey… what happened to Mizuki-san's…?" He asked, leaving his question hanging. Zetsu looked up from his cup, a slightly confused look on his face.

"Mizuki-san?" he repeated, before remembering, "Oh yes, we had to leave him underground. **He was making progress difficult."**

Naruto stared at Zetsu as he returned to his meal. So Mizuki at least got something like a burial huh? Well, everyone deserved that in the end, at least that's what Naruto thought.

They continued their climb until Zetsu finished eating, to which he then handed the empty cup to Naruto.

"**There wasn't very much noodle in that." **Zetsu muttered to himself. It was his more serious side, so Naruto didn't mind. In actual fact, it was a little amusing that they shared the same thought, "Could you keep a hold of that for us? Please don't throw it away."

Naruto nodded in reply, just as they reached the top of the hill. It was rounded, every direction was a descent. They came to a stop near a mossy patch, where Zetsu crouched down. He held his left hand in a seal, and to Naruto's surprise, the moss moved out of the way, revealing a deep hole into nothingness. It was quite wide, about two metres diameter from what he could guess. He looked at Zetsu questioningly, who was sitting down with his legs hanging inside the hole.

"Is this it?" he asked. He hadn't imagined it would be so close, or in such an unusual place. But then again, where would this "organisation" Zetsu spoke of meet? They couldn't belong to a village, they had to be missing-nin or something.

"_Whoa!" _Naruto thought, as he was hit with that sudden realisation, _"Zetsu-san's a missing-nin! Does that mean I'm working with criminals now?!"_

"**Come here." **Zetsu ordered, to which Naruto complied. He then gripped Naruto's arm, before dropping down into the hole.

"HYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Naruto yelled, as they fell down an immeasurable distance. But the fall lasted only for moments, they soon landed on solid ground, Zetsu landing first before lowering Naruto onto the ground. When Naruto was on his own feet, he looked around in surprise. The cave they were in, if that was the right name, had absolute zero visibility, minus the shaft of light coming from the hole above, which shone across the cavern behind them as the sun had only recently risen. It cast deep down into a tunnel, where there was the faint sound of rushing water. This place must have been a series of underground tunnels, with a natural water system.

"_This place is actually kind of cool!" _Naruto thought, gazing around. Having been stuck in Konoha all his life, exploration was something new and exciting to him. That was why he found this place so interesting, this was the first cave he had ever been in.

"So you are here."

Naruto whipped his head around in shock. That voice… it wasn't normal, it sounded like it had been filtered somehow, like through a broken transceiver. But it also seemed to have no origin. It had sounded close, yet there was no one close enough to had said it. Naruto was almost tempted to believe that Zetsu had a third personality, but that wouldn't have explained the quality of the voice.

"We have him with us, leader-sama." Zetsu said. Naruto turned back to the front, his eyes widening in shock. Before them, a strange green glow flickered into existence, taking on a humanoid form. It wasn't clear, but it looked like a man. His body was almost transparent, it was difficult to make anything out. The best Naruto could see was that he wore the same cloak as Zetsu, but it fit him like it should. He could also see that this person's hair was even spikier than his own, with a more wild look to it. But the thing that really caught Naruto's attention, was this person's eyes. They were completely visible, both the iris and sclera were a shade of grey, the iris outlined in a thin black circle. There were three more circles like that outside the iris, making his eyes look like ripples in a pool. They studied Naruto closely, with an incredibly penetrating gaze. It almost felt like he was looking _through _Naruto, at something else entirely. This was only momentary however, as the man then looked Naruto in the eye seriously. It was strange, this man's presence was so strong, Naruto could feel his back straighten under his gaze.

"Uzumaki Naruto." the man said, "Welcome."

"Uh… thanks." Naruto replied dumbly. He wondered how this guy could know his name, but it wasn't a big worry in his mind. The man then glanced at Zetsu, who nodded before sinking into the ground. Naruto raised his brow at this, why was Zetsu being asked to leave?

"I assume Zetsu-san has told you nothing of our organisation?" the man asked, returning his eyes to Naruto's.

"No, nothing really." Naruto replied, his eyes wide. The man nodded slowly, as if that was what he had expected.

"Zetsu-san acts as our spy." he said, in an informal, yet somehow official, tone, "Therefore he is better suited for seeking information, not dispensing it."

"Is he always alone?" Naruto asked, not realising how out of place his question was. It made the man stare a little harder at him.

"Tell me, what do you know about Zetsu-san?" he asked, his tone losing its official quality. Naruto noticed it, he was a little surprised.

"Well, he seems to get what it means to be alone." he replied, "And… I think he's used to it. People are afraid of him because of how he looks, and no one wants to know what's inside him. I… I think he's in pain."

The man continued to stare at Naruto silently, considering his words slowly.

"Tell me, what do you know of pain?" he asked, "Tell me the pain you have felt."

"Huh, what?" Naruto asked, feeling taken aback. This person had suddenly become very curious about him, it came as a shock to him, "My pain?"

"Akatsuki is an organisation consisting of a group of ninja who have left their villages for their own reasons. Some have felt betrayal, others were never in a position to be betrayed in the first place. We all have our reasons, I would like you to tell me yours."

Akatsuki… was that the name of the organisation Zetsu mentioned? And he had called this man leader-sama, so he was the boss of this group then? And why was he so interested in finding Naruto's reasons, and what was this about his "pain"? Suddenly, it hit him.

"I get it." he said, lowering his head slightly, his hair obscuring his eyes, "My pain… well, there's the pain of being alone. I know that one pretty well. But there's more than that. It's the pain of no one giving you the chance, of no one even wanting to acknowledge you. Sometimes I wish people could see what's inside, but in my case…"

He then looked up, locking eyes with the man,

"In my case, the _only _thing they see is what's inside of me." he said, his brow creasing angrily, "That's all they ever saw, the Kyubi. And it's all you see as well, isn't it?"

If this man was surprised by Naruto's outburst, he didn't show it. Instead, he turned away, his back to Naruto.

"Come to Amegakure." he said, "We will continue this there."

With that, he disappeared, leaving Naruto alone in the cave. He was a little surprised by the sudden disappearance, but then, a lot had surprised him recently, he was getting a little sick of it to be honest.

Moments later, Zetsu appeared from the ground again, only ascending halfway, and looked up at Naruto expressionlessly.

"Leader-sama has left." he stated, surprised, **"He gave you orders then?"**

"Uh, yeah." Naruto replied, turning to face Zetsu, "He said to come to a place called Amegakure. Know where that is?"

"**I should." **Zetsu replied, before turning away, "Get in, if leader-sama gave you the order, then it wouldn't do to keep him waiting."

Naruto blinked, before complying. He climbed back on to Zetsu's shoulders, realising he still had the empty cup in his hands. As such, he could only keep his balance with one hand as the leaves closed again, and the burrowed underground.

* * * * *

"Is it really wise to bring him here?" Konan asked, as Pein climbed in through the window. With a quick hand sign, the rain began to fall outside, ending the reprieve of the village.

"This situation is different than with Akatsuki." he replied, looking back at Konan, "The Jinchuriki must be handled with care. They won't be so easy to control as normal human beings are."

He took a few steps through the dark room, heading to the door. He paused for a moment, which surprised Konan a little. She followed him out of the room and into the empty hallway, which was lit by candles. The blue walls and orange light didn't mix well, but aesthetics weren't the primary concern of these two, nor of those who resided in this building. If any of those people were fit to complain, then this would be the wrong place for them anyway.

"The Gedō Mazō is completely destroyed." Pein said, as he walked, "As such, harnessing the power of the Biju is impossible. Now our only option is to convince them to align themselves with us, if we are to succeed."

"But why start with the Kyubi?" Konan asked, keeping just a couple of steps behind, "Wouldn't it be better to seek someone who was skilled with their Biju instead of a child?"

"It is because he is an inexperienced child that he must be the one." Pein replied, "The older Jinchuriki do not trust humans, but if they were met with one of their own, they could be swayed. We must mould Uzumaki Naruto, the youngest Jinchuriki who is sealed with the strongest Biju. Only then can we even consider seeking the others."

"But what if they won't listen?" Konan asked, "There's no guarantee that they will come because of Naruto-san."

Pein didn't answer immediately. He knew as soon as he voiced these words, it would be a sign of weakness.

"It is not necessary for us to wield all of the Biju." he said, "As long as we can possess a majority, any without doubts are obstacles."

Konan raised her brow in surprise. She would never have expected Pein to accept less than everything, it was something she had never seen in him before.

Pein continued to walk in silence, his mind deep in concentration.

"_Tell me Pein, what can you see here?" Madara asked, gesturing to the stone tablet before them. Pein studied it closely, the writing on it appeared to be in strange seals. The majority of it made no sense to him, but the last part was infallibly clear._

"_It seems to describe the origins of the Biju." Madara explained, "That they at one time were unified as a single being known as the Jubi. There is also information here relating to the Rikudō Sennin, and that he was very closely related to the Jubi. The first parts are readable only with the Sharingan and then the Mangekyou. However, the last part is readable only by the wielder of the Rinnegan, as I'm sure you've realised."_

_Pein nodded slowly, as he reread the tablet again._

"_This tablet tells me one thing." he said. Madara glanced at him with stoic anticipation._

"_And that is?" he asked, with slight impatience. Pein slowly closed his eyes, before opening them again._

"_Shinra Tensei."_


	3. Beauty of the rain

Ok, you're still reading so I'll put a stop to the modesty. To tell the truth, my heart started racing through this, it's a kind of excitement I haven't felt in a while. Anyway, I haven't got a clue where the plot is going past the next chapter, which I think is actually a good thing, keeps me from rushing. And also, a note to anyone who's reading this well after it's completed. Reviews are still greatly appreciated. I hate finishing a story and then be left with the feeling that it's forgotten, left in the shadows of newer stories. So tell me what you think, even if this story is over a year past completion.

Disclaimer: I seriously hope I don't put anyone out of character. And I also hope at least some people pick up on my metaphors.

* * *

**Beauty of the rain**

As the rain fell from the sky, and the clouds greyed the earth, two figures walked blindly as they sought their destination. With water so thick, sight was all but abandoned and they relied only on the shadows around them to guide their way. Or at least, that was Zetsu's case. Naruto had his goggles on.

"Whoa, where's all this rain coming from?" Naruto asked, as he finally found a bin to drop the cup in. Zetsu glanced down at him, but continued walking towards a particularly tall shadow that loomed overhead.

"The is Ame, after all." he replied, his voice partially drowned out by the water, **"We could already be there if not for your inability to remain inside for extended periods of time."**

"Sorry, I don't wanna slow you down." Naruto said, looking at Zetsu. But it was true, he was feeling dizzy after travelling all the way here underground. Then again, he wasn't thrilled to be out in this much rain either. It wasn't as bad as for Zetsu, but his collar was pretty wide too. And like Zetsu, and everyone else they passed for that matter, he was getting very, _very _wet. He almost tripped as he suddenly found Zetsu and himself climbing a set of stairs. Not like in a house, these were those weird stairs that went a few metres before rising again. Those annoyed Naruto, he always thought they used up too much space. But, whatever, judging by the look on Zetsu's face, they were nearing their destination.

This was confirmed as a large building filled their view, it was like a tower, reaching to a height Naruto couldn't make out. But then again, trying would only obscure his vision more so. As such, he kept his head on his feet as he and Zetsu entered the building through the doubled doors.

Naruto shook his head vigorously, not having to worry about Zetsu, who's leaves blocked excess water.

They stood in a large entrance hall, black marble floor reflecting the light of a chandelier hanging above. The walls were decorated with flowers, although Naruto almost immediately disregarded this, as he would. Along the walls, arm chairs were placed, giving a feeling like they were in a waiting room of sorts. Of course, it wasn't like a doctors office where they were all over the place, there was a small group just to their left placed casually, and along the right side wall was a sofa with two arm chairs on an angle at either side. They were all made of black leather, and didn't help with the gloomy aristocratic vibe the place was giving Naruto. It was also freezing in here, there seemed to be no heating on offer. The receptionists at the desk along the left wall didn't seem to mind, perhaps they had a radiator over there, or were just used to the conditions.

They walked inside a little further, before they were met by what appeared to be a Chunin of this village, although his headband was slashed. Did that mean he was a missing-nin like Zetsu? The man looked between Zetsu and Naruto, before bowing.

"Zetsu-sama, Naruto-sama, right this way." he said, before turning and walking away.

"Naruto-sama?" Naruto repeated, looking up at Zetsu questioningly. But Zetsu just gestured for him to hurry, which he did. The Chunin led them to a door, before turning to them and bowing again.

"Please, Naruto-sama, there is a change of clothing for you just in there." he said, before opening the door and waiting. Naruto glanced up at Zetsu again, who rolled his eyes before lightly shoving Naruto inside. The Chunin closed the door and left Naruto on his own. He appeared to be in a changing room slash toilet, judging by the floor to ceiling mirror and the, er… toilet. There was a chair in the corner with a towel and a change of clothes on it. Naruto shrugged, before picking the towel up and drying off his head. An annoying thing about hair like his; it retained a lot of water. On reflection, it might have been wiser to dry the rest of his body first, but it was too late now. He removed his jacket and shirt, both of which were thoroughly soaked, and lightly rubbed the towel into his arms and chest. By this point, the towel was soaked thoroughly, there was no use for it now. Luckily, Naruto spotted a hand dryer opposite the mirror. He took the clothes off the chair and moved it under the hand dryer, keeping the clothes on his lap. He then reached up and pressed the button, allowing the hot air to dry his back. It was a move he instantly regretted.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!" Naruto yelled, rolling his back against the cold floor. He was sure he'd just ignited his neck, it still burned even with the tiles on the floor soothing it.

"Is everything alright Naruto-sama?" the man's voice asked from outside. Naruto sat up, rubbing the back of his neck sorely.

"Yeah, s'alright." Naruto replied, getting to his feet. He checked his back in the mirror, looking for burn marks. Luckily there were none, it was just stinging. He removed his trousers and hung them over the back of the chair. There hadn't been a breeze, so the rain had fallen straight down. As a result, his legs weren't as wet as the rest of him was. That meant he didn't have to worry about changing them. He reached for the change of clothes, which had fallen to the floor as he had. He picked them up and placed them on the seat of the chair, before changing. It looked like the clothes were thick navy slacks, with a black and grey pullover resting on top of them. He pulled the slacks on first, the fit nicely, something which was a surprise considering he was pretty short for his age. He then threw the pullover on, which also fit well. Had they somehow gotten his measurements or something? That didn't seem likely, but all the same, the clothes were quite comfortable. He pulled the zip on the pullover up as far as it went, before grabbing his wet clothes and leaving.

On the other side of the door, Zetsu and the Chunin were still waiting for him. But there was also a female attendant, a blonde woman with short, clipped hair. She smiled to Naruto and held her hand out for the wet clothes. Naruto blinked in surprise before passing them onto her. She gave a quick bow, before walking away, heading down a corridor on the left of the room. Naruto then looked up to Zetsu, who appeared bored.

"Now that you are changed and dry, we had better not put our appointment off any longer." he said, looking to the Chunin, **"You may return to your post."**

"Very well, Zetsu-sama." the Chunin replied, bowing before leaving. Zetsu then gestured for Naruto to follow him as he headed for the corridor on the right of the room, which turned a corner almost immediately, heading further back into the building. Naruto smoothed out the sleeves of his pullover, smiling to himself. He had never owned anything that had actually fitted him before, this was kind of nice. He looked up as Zetsu came to a stop outside a door.

"It appears we have a long ascent ahead of us." he sighed, **"We'd better get it over with."**

* * * * *

"Are they here?" Pein asked, as he stepped into the room he so often inhabited.

"Yes, they are on their way up as we speak." Konan replied, from her usual spot by the window, "Everything is prepared, his training can start whenever you give the word."

"Good, he will need all the training he can get." Pein said, as he climbed through the window, "Just make sure Naruto-san isn't overworked. You know how he can get."

"Of course."

Pein didn't head all the way out. It had been raining after all, sitting out there would be stupid. As it was, he simply stood in the mouth of the statue, gazing outside into the rain. After mere moments of this, he came back in, walking to the centre of the room.

"Is there a problem?" Konan asked, not used to seeing Pein so mobile.

"A change in plans, we will not be proceeding as intended." he replied, looking back at her.

"Is there a problem?" Konan asked, feeling alarmed by this news.

"No, not yet anyway." Pein muttered, "It's just a precaution."

Konan stared at Pein, still feeling uncertain. He had never changed his plans before, but then, Madara was usually the one taking the lead, so was this Pein managing on his own?

"Konan, there is something I need you to take care of."

* * * * *

"Hah… hah…"

Naruto held his hands against his knees, breathing heavily. He had lost count of the amount of stairs he'd climbed a long time ago, he was fairly certain someone had put him in a Genjutsu. After all, Zetsu seemed to be having no trouble at all. It was almost like someone's cruel joke, who would want to be in a place so high?

"There's… gotta be a… quicker way…" he panted, straightening up again.

"**Stop your whining, **we are almost there."

"Yeah, compared to where we started!" Naruto muttered. But he continued on anyway, climbing each stair as his legs protested. And it wasn't a peaceful protest, that was definite. The stairway they were climbing conveyed none of the elegance of the entrance hall. This was simple, blue walls, green railings and linoleum floors. It seemed more like a fire escape than a stairway. Although, considering it was Zetsu who was taking the lead that wasn't impossible. They ascended a couple more floors before finally stepping out into a hallway, to Naruto's immense relief. He placed his hand on the wall for support, his aching legs threatening to succumb to gravity. He looked around the hall, it seemed to follow the same style as the entrance down below. There were windows at either end, with violet curtains hanging around them. There were candles lined along them walls, but at the moment they were not in use.

"In here." Zetsu said, leading Naruto to the door in the very centre of the hallway. It was a double again, a pair of mahogany gates standing between Naruto and the man he had spoken to before. It was more than a little nerve racking, he really wasn't looking forward to being under the gaze of those eyes. But all the same, he waited as Zetsu knocked.

"Enter." rang out a voice from inside. Zetsu turned to Naruto, bowing his head.

"This is where we make our goodbyes." he said, **"Try not to anger leader-sama."**

"Wha- you're going?!" Naruto asked in surprise. Zetsu nodded in reply, before sinking into the ground and disappearing completely. Naruto stared at the spot Zetsu had been, shocked at the sudden departure. It hadn't been long, but he had actually grown to quite like Zetsu, in some ways.

Not wanting to hear the voice repeat his order, Naruto reluctantly turned away, opening the door and walking in. The room inside was very bare, stone walls and wooden floors were all the decoration offered. The only source of light came from the large square window, or whatever it was, it didn't have any glass. The room was more wide than long, and it seemed well used, despite its lack of furnishing. Naruto walked into the middle of the room, looking around for the person who had spoken. The corners were in shadows, the light offered wasn't great. But no matter how he squinted, he could see no signs of the voice's source.

"Over here."

Naruto blinked, looking at the window. He walked over to it, realising that outside was a model or statue of some sorts. He couldn't make it out from where he was standing, but what he could see was a long tongue which stuck out like a ledge of sorts. Miraculously, the rain had somehow stopped, and the ledge was completely dry. Naruto didn't really notice this however, his attention was brought to something else entirely.

Sitting down with his back to Naruto, there was a man. His hair was a strong shade of orange, and looked even wilder than Naruto's. His ears bore several black piercings, six hoops and a vertical bar that ran through from one end to the other. He was also wearing a cloak just like Zetsu had, although his fit like it should. Naruto noticed that while this man was sitting down, he hadn't placed himself on the centre of the tongue as someone normally would, _if _someone ever would. He sat on the left side of the tongue, as if offering room on the right. This thought was confirmed with a hand gesture as the man beckoned him forward. Naruto did so, taking a seat beside the man. One look into his eyes was all Naruto needed.

"You're… leader-sama?" he asked, his eyes wide with surprise. This man was much younger than expected, maybe in his late teens or early twenties. His face was also heavily pierced, he had three bars running through his nose and two spikes through his lower lip. Like with his ears, each one was black, giving a very strange aura to him. Naruto was beginning to get an idea why this man was so interested in his "pain".

"That is the term my subordinates call me by." the man replied, "For the moment, you may call me… Deva."

"Deva?" Naruto repeated. It was an odd name, but kind of cool, "Sure thing, Deva-san?"

"That will do."

"Right. So… why am I here anyway?"

Deva leaned forward slightly, so he was sitting upright. Naruto, who was already in that position, glanced outwards as Deva pointed.

"Tell me what you see out there." he said, "Among the higher levels of the buildings on the far side of the village."

Naruto blinked, before leaning forward, kneeling as he squinted ahead. He scanned the distant buildings, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. What he could see was the upper floors of the skyscrapers, it seemed there were more in that area. If he really concentrated, he could make out minute people moving around those levels, with bags and umbrellas and other things that didn't belong on high floors of buildings. It looked like those floors consisted of small, lively streets, rather than homes or offices. And there was something else about it…

"All the well off people live higher up." Naruto said slowly, "And the place has been built so they don't ever have to go down to the lower levels."

"Very good." Deva replied, nodding in agreement, "And down there?"

Naruto cast his gaze downwards. It wasn't hard to see the contrast. People fled in their grey world, moving from building to building as they sought refuge from the rain which still fell upon them, the remnants from the higher levels. It was a result of the architecture of the village, although from appearance it seemed more like a city from perspective, the various pipes and other overhanging structures gathered water and dropped it heavily on the people below, pelting them with enough force to make them flinch. Naruto's eyes were wide as he surveyed the sight below, had he really come through that?

"It's so…" he began, but found himself unable to finish the sentence. Deva nodded, finding his answer acceptable. He sat back again, his expression and his stance having nothing in common.

"Do you know, that down there, there are even lower levels?" he asked, gazing out at nothing in particular, "Down on those levels, a man spends hours working to keep a generator running, so he can afford to keep his wife and child fed and sheltered. But the power he helps maintain runs through an intricate system. Rather than working from the point of origin and running around the village in a circuit, it is purposefully directed to the wealthiest homes first, and steadily moving down to the poorest and most desolate households, such as that of the very man who worked so hard to get it."

Naruto stared at Deva as he said these things, his brow creased in concentration. Deva then shifted his gaze slightly, so he was looking out to a particular building to the left.

"And at this very moment the scientists of this place, those who are thriving from that power are working around the clock to devise a way to make that very same generator self sustaining. If they succeed, there will be no need for anyone to work there."

"Can't we do anything for that man?" Naruto asked, stunned by the selfishness of those scientists.

"No, there is nothing more that can be done for that man or his family." Deva replied, "Three days ago, they came here to reside."

"Really?" Naruto asked brightly. This place wasn't exactly comforting, but it had to be better than whatever was down there. Deva looked Naruto in the eye.

"Naruto-san, this place is a mortuary." he said. Naruto's mouth hung open and his eyes widened, he was silently stunned. Deva broke contact and turned his head up to the sky, watching the clouds move around, "That man, and his wife. His little girl as well. They both came here three days ago. I learned their names. They were Shinjin, Mikomi and Muzai."

Naruto was in disbelief. Even in his mind, he couldn't formulate any coherent thoughts. It was just the mental image of what Deva had told him that ran through his mind. It was an unfathomable cruelty, he almost didn't want to believe people were capable of something like that.

"Now let me ask you something more, Naruto-san. If you had the power, what would you do with it, now that you know this story?"

Naruto blinked seeing Deva once more. If he had the power?

"Well… I'd make sure nothing like that ever happened again." he replied, "I'd do what I could to make sure they wouldn't have to suffer like that."

Deva studied Naruto closely, apparently dissatisfied with this response. He raised his hand to his mouth as his eyes returned to the village.

"No, that would help no one." he said, taking Naruto by surprise, "The difference between Shinjin-san and those scientists is that he knew what pain felt like. It was that pain which helped him grow, and showed him the right way to live. This village is nowhere near even being considered perfect. If he had wanted, he could have easily turned to crime to feed his family, but he didn't. because he knew what pain was, and that doing so would only cause pain to the people he felt didn't deserve it. He was a kind man, but an ignorant one."

Naruto listened intently, not sure if he liked the sound of a man like that being called ignorant.

"Tell me, have you ever placed your hand in fire, or fallen to the ground?" Deva asked, in a rhetorical tone, "It is the pain gained from those experiences that keep us from making those mistakes. They enlighten us, and make us more than what we would be without it. However you look at it, anyone who cannot recognise pain cannot grow, and can never understand peace."

Naruto wasn't especially clever, but he knew that much. If you are never sad, then you can't understand happiness. And if you are never lonely, you can't appreciate having others around you. So then, for pain and peace to share such a connection, it wasn't just believable to Naruto.

"Earlier, you accused me of being interested only in the Kyubi." Deva said, moving from his sitting position so he was kneeling forward, one hand on the ledge and the other hanging off his knee, "That is not true. You see, what I want is to show those people, like the scientists up there. I want to show them what pain feels like, so that maybe they can understand the pain they cause others, and grow from it. And from that pain, peace can be born. So you see Naruto, it is not the weapon of the Kyubi which I seek, it is the help of you yourself."

"Me?" Naruto asked, bewildered. He knew very little of the Kyubi, but one thing he was certain of was that on a scale of power, he wouldn't even rank on it, "But… what can I do?"

Deva let out a sigh, looking down at the ledge as he dropped his gaze.

"I will confess, this was not my initial intention." he said, in an even less formal tone, "I had planned on simply using you as another of my subordinates, as a weapon like you believed. However, during our first meeting, I saw something in you I almost didn't believe. You know well, a pain I have never truly experienced. I saw the pain of loneliness in your eyes, and it burned greater than any of my pain. I have never been alone, so I have never felt what it is like. As such, I am incomplete. What I need is someone who greatly understands the pain I lack, so that my goals may truly be justified. So Naruto-san, I ask you, will you help me?"

Naruto had listened closely to Deva's every word. He had had no reason to believe any of it was a lie, it all felt like it was spoken from the heart. He couldn't explain it, but it seemed like Deva almost shunned logic in place of his beliefs. Naruto liked that, it was a sign of someone who had true faith in themselves.

But then again, Deva also seemed to have an absolute devotion to his ideals, and considering what those were, what lengths would he go to to realise them? In the end, there really only was one choice, even if it was a difficult one to make.

"Ok Deva-san, I'll help you." he said, sitting back. Deva looked at him for several moments, analyzing his words and face, before nodding.

"Thank you." he replied, looking ahead once more, "Understand the weight of the trust I am putting in you. There is only one member of Akatsuki who knows my name."

"So I'm a member of Akatsuki now?" Naruto asked, surprised to find himself placed so quickly. Deva slowly shook his head.

"No, you will not become a part of Akatsuki." he said, surprising Naruto further, "I have another idea for you. Please, come with me."Deva got to his feet, heading back into the room behind. Naruto raised his brow before following him, wondering what on earth he was planning. Deva opened the doors and walked out into the hall, immediately heading down the left side. Naruto closed the doors behind him, before hurrying to catch up with Deva. They didn't stop as they reached the doorway Deva was heading towards, they walked straight through it and into another stairwell. Unlike before however, these spiralled downwards, round stone walls and black metal stairs. Naruto was starting to wonder if maybe there was more to Deva than just a philosophy about pain.

They exited the staircase after descending just a single floor, and walked out into a hall almost identical to the one above, except there were many doors on this floor, compared to the few on the one above. Deva guided Naruto to a door on the opposite wall, third from the right. From this side, the door was no different from the others. But Deva stopped outside it as if it had some special meaning, turning to Naruto.

"This room shall be yours for as long as you stay in Amegakure." he said, looking down to Naruto, "If the décor is not to your liking, you may change it as you see fit. Someone will be sent tomorrow to see about that. Inside you will find some of the most important things you will be needing."

"I'm getting a room?" Naruto asked in surprise, before his expression turned to one of exasperation, "So I'm gonna have to climb all those stairs just to get to sleep at night?"

"That won't be necessary." Deva replied, "There is a Shunshin scroll. Sign it with your blood and you will be able to use the Shunshin no Jutsu to transport yourself to that position, once you have mastered the Shunshin that is."

"So until I do that, I have to take the stairs." Naruto said, in a defeated tone.

"On that note, I shall be sending someone to meet you soon." Deva replied, "He is a subordinate of mine, and he is under orders to provide you with training."

"Wait a minute, I'm gonna get training?!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. He had thought he would need to beg and plead to be trained, but here he was having it _given _to him. He almost wanted to sing. Almost.

"Of course." Deva replied, "Your role shall be a dangerous one. You will need to become an incredibly powerful Shinobi if our goals are to be realised. In fact, it will be our goal to make you one of the most powerful Shinobi _alive_."

Naruto stared up at Deva, awestruck at the prospect. Deva bowed his head, before walking past Naruto and returning to the staircase. Naruto watched as he left. As soon as he was gone, he reached out for his door handle and quickly opened it, stepping inside his room.

"Whoa." he breathed, as he looked around. The room was decorated like the room above, stone walls and wooden floors. He also had a wide window, but this one was a proper window. Light shone in from it, lighting up the furniture in his room. At the left side, in the corner, Naruto had been given a king size bed. A _king_ size! Opposite the bed was a tall mahogany wardrobe, with brass doorknobs on it. In front of Naruto on the right was a pretty large trunk, green with brown straps and bronze borders. And next to that was a dressing table with a tall mirror that almost reached the ceiling. And on the dressing table was-

"No way!" Naruto breathed, rushing over and pushing the wooden chair aside. He stared in awe at the forehead protector laid out before him, the black fabric and the four thin lines on the metal, marked with a fifth that scored neatly through them. Naruto immediately reached up and removed his goggles, placing them aside, and lifting the forehead protector to its intended place. He hastily tied it, not even blinking as he surveyed himself in the mirror. He couldn't wipe the grin from his face, this was so _awesome_! He actually had a forehead protector! It may not have been Konoha's, like he had planned, but it was incredible nonetheless. He quickly whipped his head around the room, trying to see what else there was to find. He dropped to his knees and opened the trunk, his eyes glistening at what he saw inside. There were scrolls, ink sets, brushes, all the basic tools for sealing. There were also more unorthodox items, like ninja tools that weren't standard issue. There were reels of razor wire, retractable blades, unmarked paper tags, and things Naruto had never even seen before. He grinned broadly as he got to his feet and rushed to his wardrobe, throwing the doors open. This time he couldn't even bring himself to word his awe.

Inside the wardrobe, his clothes were hung up, dry and pressed. They were hung so that the looked like they were being worn, meaning that the jacket was hanging from the top, with the pants hanging just below the waist of the jacket. But it was what was around that jacket that caught Naruto's eye. He reached up and tossed his clothes onto the bed, before reaching up for _that_.

It was a beautiful cloak, crimson, with a design like water moving through it. The entire thing looked like a red sea, with thousands of tiny waves pouring through it, forming intricate lines that ebbed and flowed through the material magnificently. And on the back, placed with pride and honour, was the red spiral that also lay on Naruto's jacket, the one he had always had. This cloak… he wasn't sure which was greater, it or the forehead protector. Whichever it was, Naruto considered both of them to be his most valued possessions from here on out. His look of wonder was then disturbed as he heard a knock at the door, _his _door. He delicately laid the cloak down on his bed, showing it much greater care than he did for his clothes. He then walked over to the door and opened it. But when he did, he was met with a black wall.

"Uh…" Naruto sounded, slowly looking up. Before him stood a tall, _impossibly _tall man. He wore the cloak of the Akatsuki, just like Zetsu and Deva. But he also wore a sedge hat, and from this angle Naruto could not make out his face.

"Uzumaki Naruto?" the man asked, slowly looking down, "It is a pleasure to meet you. You may call me… Hoshigaki Kisame."


	4. Painting on a blank canvas

Manga chapter 471, Kisame's looking pretty awesome, isn't he? Kisame's a little more difficult to deal with than Zetsu, he has a stranger personality. I was just looking over my finished stories, I can definitely see an improvement in quality. Normally the contents of this entire chapter would only reach about half that at best. I've also been giving some serious thought about Naruto, he'll be needing an entire new skill set now, that's never easy to do. Eh, guess we'll see how it goes.

Disclaimer: Anyone else get pissed off every time Kirabi goes "WHEEEEEEEEE!!!"? Mind you, I can't help but hear a strange voice from Samehada's "Gigigi." It sounds to me like Igor reading Icha Icha.

* * *

**Painting on a blank canvas**

Naruto stared up at the giant in front of him. His head passed even the doorframe, he was so tall. Upon comparison, Naruto just about made it to this guy's stomach, which made him feel even shorter. But it wasn't his height which drew Naruto's attention, incredible though it may be, it was the person's face. His skin was a pale shade of blue, almost grey. He had very small eyes, which appeared to be locking on to whatever they were looking at. He had three markings under each eye, similar to the markings on Naruto's face, but these bent in the middle like a wide "V". And there was no doubt he was strong, even the muscles on his face were tight, leaving the structure of his skull very visible in an almost gaunt manner.

He removed the sedge hat he wore, revealing that his hair was also blue, but a much darker shade. It also sat in tall spikes, supported by the unusually thick strap of his forehead protector, which seemed more like a head_piece_ than a head_band. _He surveyed Naruto with a wide grin, revealing his teeth to be sharpened to a point. Overall, he had a very ferocious appearance, and he seemed to know it.

"Hoshigaki Kisame?" Naruto repeated, his brow raised, "You're my sensei?"

Kisame's smirk widened at Naruto's lack of fear, obviously impressed with the boy's courage.

"So I don't frighten you?" he asked rhetorically, "Well well, aren't we brave?"

"Zetsu-san looks stranger." Naruto commented, "Give me a second, I just need to get changed!"

Kisame's brow rose as the door was slammed in his face. It had been a _very _long time since someone had had the audaciousness do something like that. He would have to make sure Naruto learned to never do something like that again. He straightened himself up again as he waited for Naruto to get ready. He had already intended on giving him a tough time with his training, but now it was going to be… _murder_.

He grinned to himself as he removed a large wrapped object from his back. It had a long yellow handle with a skull on the end. He placed the tip on the ground and leant on it, his forearm resting atop the skull. He could hear grunts and rustling noises from the other side of the door, what the hell was that brat doing?!

"Would you hurry it up in there?!" Kisame demanded, with an annoyed expression on his face. The noises soon came to a stop, and Kisame raised his brow as the door opened. Naruto stood proudly in his own clothes, his pockets and any other available openings irresponsibly stuffed with ninja tools. Kisame narrowed his right eye as he gave Naruto and sceptical look.

"What is your ninja rank?" he asked, a feeling of dread rising in his gut.

"Huh? Ninja rank?" Naruto repeated, confused, "Well… I guess with this thing I'm a Genin huh?"

Right at that very moment, Kisame could have killed Naruto. The object in his hand was reaching out for Naruto's chakra greedily, he could feel it. But it was that very same reason why Kisame resisted his urge and lowered his head to Naruto's annoyingly low level.

"So what you are really saying is that you are nothing more that a lowly academy student?" he asked with forced calmness, "In that case…"

He reached out with his hand and gripped Naruto's forehead protector between his purple fingernails. He then pulled it off, almost tearing Naruto's hair out in the process.

"OW!" Naruto complained, rubbing his head, "What the hell, give me my headband!"

"If you have not passed the graduation exam, then you are not even a ninja." Kisame replied, straightening up, "As such, it will be up to me to decide when you are worthy of this. And remember, I was trained in Kirigakure, not Konohagakure. Now take those useless things out of your pockets and GET A MOVE ON!"

Naruto jumped back from shock, hastily pulling the scrolls and other tools from his pockets and everywhere else before dropping them into the open trunk. Zetsu was ok, but it looked like in Kisame's case his appearance _did _match his personality.

He quickly left his room and closed the door, as Kisame walked off with Naruto's headband gripped in his hand. He had replaced his item on his back and headed towards the door.

"Aw man, not the stairs!" Naruto complained, but quietly in case Kisame turned on him again.

"No, not the stairs." Kisame replied, with a wry grin. He walked over to the window and opened it, leaning out. Then, for some reason, he frowned. He glanced back to Naruto, gesturing for him to come closer. Naruto complied, standing beside Kisame and trying to see whatever it was that had caught the giant's eye.

"Idiot." Kisame smirked, pushing Naruto out of the window.

"Wha?!" Naruto exclaimed, "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"Will you shut up?!" Kisame grunted, as he grabbed Naruto in mid air. They both plummeted down the ground, many, _many _storeys below. Kisame had his arm covering Naruto's mouth, which was the only thing suppressing his yells. It was one thing when it was Zetsu, but this guy might actually let go!

The air blasted up Naruto's jacket, sending freezing waves across his spine. His collar had been lifted up past his face, completely obscuring his vision. That made things a little easier, at least he couldn't see the ground. But the sound the air made as it rushed past his ears was almost like the wind was screaming at him.

Suddenly, Naruto felt himself being jerked back as Kisame pulled himself onto the wall of the building, before kicking off it and leaping to another building. Gripping the back of the boy's jacket, he hopped from building to building, with Naruto getting thrown limply around in the process. He was too dazed to even recognise what was going on, he felt his stomach churn uneasily, threatening to shrink away in fear. And there was only one way his stomach was going to reduce in size.

"_I'm gonna hurl." _he thought, as he suddenly started falling again. But this fall lasted longer, and ended with Kisame lowering him onto the ground, feeling incredibly dizzy. His collar fell back down into place, and from what he could make out, they were on the outskirts of the village. It looked like they were standing in a long passage, stone walls were behind them with the buildings on upper tiers. This must be one of the lower levels then. Thick pipes ran periodically through the ground, opening up and spilling water out into what seemed to be a moat around the village. Naruto leant against the iron pipe railing, trying his best to look disinterested while trying even harder to keep his stomach settled. That was quite a trip. And he was still freezing.

"Ok, now show me what you can do." Kisame ordered, folding his arms. Naruto looked up, blinking drearily. He then straightened up and turned to Kisame, trying to recall a certain something.

"Uh… ok." he said, forming his hands into two single seals and forming a cross with his fore and middle fingers, "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A huge puff of smoke came into existence behind them, soon clearing away to reveal something incredible. From nowhere, there was now over a hundred Naruto's grinning at the original and Kisame. They were all perfect copies, and each of them stood proudly as they faced the two real people. For about a fraction of a second. Then they all dropped into the water.

"GAH!" came over a hundred cries. The shock immediately dispelled them, leaving Naruto blinking in surprise with a massive wall of smoke behind him.

"Whoa… that was weird." he muttered.

"Baka!" Kisame growled, once again feeling the urge to tickle Naruto's brain with his fist, "How can you expect to take out your opponent when you don't even have the sense to position your clones?!"

"Sorry!" Naruto replied, raising his hands in surrender, "That's the first time I've used that Jutsu!"

Kisame backed off a little, genuine surprise on his face. He glanced back out to the water, his brow raised.

"_He summoned that many clones on his first try?!"_ he thought incredulously, before grinning, _"In that case, I think I now understand why she chose me."_

"Very well then, stupid though you may be, you seem to be skilled at throwing your chakra around." he said, looking at Naruto with a smile that revealed all his teeth, "But just how much control do you have?"

"Huh, control?" Naruto repeated, with a confused expression. Kisame nodded, before jerking his thumb to the next level up. Naruto glanced in that direction, and saw to his surprise that his headband was tied to a railing up there.

"I want you to get that for me." Kisame said, folding his arms, "Scale the wall, without your hands."

"How do I do that?" Naruto asked, as he tried to picture it. He failed. Kisame sighed, lowering his head a little.

"Channel your chakra to your feet." he explained, without hiding his annoyance, "Too much, and you'll throw yourself off. To little and you'll fall on your ass."

Naruto looked away from Kisame, returning his gaze to the headband up there. Channel his chakra to his feet…. What the hell. He formed a seal, and did as he was told. He found his chakra, and willed it to flow down to his feet. He felt it reach that place, and opened his eyes. He looked at the wall, and pressed a foot against it. But it didn't stick, it just felt like he was kicking a wall. He looked at Kisame questioningly, surprised to see him so close.

"Watch." he said, forming an unnecessary hand sign. Naruto looked down at Kisame's feet, and saw the dust on the ground billow away as the chakra was gathered. He then just… did it. He put his foot on the wall and hauled himself up to a horizontal position. He then walked up to the next level at a leisurely pace, before hopping over the railing and leaning on it, looking down at Naruto.

"Now hurry it up, I don't want to spend all day on this." he said, with a bored look, "Give it a running start, it will help build momentum."

Naruto looked up with a raised brow. He nodded, before taking several steps back. He looked up and down the wall, before taking a deep breath and forming his hand sign. This time he kept his eyes on his feet, watching until the dust was cast away like it had for Kisame. He furrowed his brow with concentration, adding more chakra until finally-

"There!" Naruto grunted, breaking his seal and running at the wall. He reached about a metre before jumping and turning to a horizontal position. He felt his foot connect with the wall, and reached out with his other one.

He fell flat on his ass.

"For crying out loud." Kisame groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Maintain the chakra you moron!"

Naruto placed a hand on the wall as he got back to his feet. Back in the tower, when Kisame yelled at him, Naruto had really thought he was a monster. Now he also realised he was mean as well. He brushed dirt off his clothes, then returned to the starting point and formed his seal again.

"_Ok… mould my chakra…" _he thought, with a look of deep focus on his face, _"Channel it to my feet… and maintain it."_

It wasn't easy, but he was managing. He felt his chakra in his feet, keeping him attached to the ground in a way unlike gravity. Feeling certain he was able to maintain it now, he released the seal and ran at the wall, jumping at it and planting his foot on it.

"_Yes!" _he thought, as he felt it attach. He kept on going, running up the wall. But he had only managed it a few steps when he felt the chakra disappear, and was forced to land, _"Damn it!"_

He looked up at Kisame, expecting another reproachful comment. What he got instead was a grin and a nod.

"Again." he ordered, straightening to his full height. Naruto looked surprised, but he quickly nodded, returning to his position. He was suddenly hit with a new wave of confidence, and found channelling his chakra to be easier this time. He was determined to master this by the end of the day.

* * * * *

"Interesting that you chose Kisame." Pein said, leaning against the wall. He stood in the hallway outside the room he usually inhabited, just by the door. The candles had just been lit, as it was growing dark outside. They also provided warmth, a waste energy that was often exploited in this village, "Most wouldn't believe him to be suited as an instructor."

"With his chakra levels, he is the best person for training a Jinchuriki." Konan replied, facing Pein, "And his Kirigakure upbringing is just what is needed to rid Naruto-san of his Konoha ideals."

"I see, then it was a wise choice." Pein said, nodding, "It would make things difficult if Naruto-san were to have a change of heart. However, I do not think they should be brought down completely. After all, if not for Konoha's ways, we would not be here."

"You almost sound glad of Konoha." Konan stated, but not in an accusing tone.

"Of course I am." Pein replied, with no indication of taking offence, "If not for Konoha, there would have been no reason for Ame to have been used as a battleground. And if that were the case, I would be a simple minded human."

"Yes… but you would have been happy." Konan said, looking down. Pein studied her for several moments in silence.

"With this power, happiness is not my goal." he said, turning away and walking into his room. Konan didn't look up as he left, she couldn't bring herself to. But she then took a deep breath, before turning and walking away.

* * * * *

Naruto was sitting on the ground, panting heavily. He had managed to make decent progress in the time he'd been training. He could almost reach the bars of the railing above, but he couldn't quite make it. It was now pretty late, noon had turned to dusk. Kisame watched with a bored expression as Naruto took a short break.

"Come on." Kisame said, with his chin resting on his hand, "It's freezing out there, and I'm in no rush. We'll come back tomorrow and finish this then."

He straightened up and turned away, and began walking off.

"No can do." Naruto said, getting to his feet. That took Kisame by surprise, had he outright refused him? "I don't know my way around yet, so the only way I'm following is if I get up there."

Kisame cocked a brow, before grinning. He turned back to face Naruto, folding his arms.

"Alright then, last chance." he said, "If you can get this, I'll consider giving you… _special _training."

Naruto's eyes widened at the thought. Special training, that was the whole reason he had come here! The waves of Chakra pulsating from Kisame, not to mention that _huge _object on his back, there was no doubting his strength. If Naruto could do this now, he would that much closer to becoming a powerful Shinobi!

"_All right then, I can't mess this up!" _he thought, wiping sweat from his brow, _"Everything's riding on this! I can't afford to fail!"_

The determination on his face impressed Kisame. He hadn't seen a look like that in years. He raised his hand to his chin, studying Naruto thoughtfully.

"_What's this?" _he thought, _"It looks like he's really going to give this his all!"_

Naruto formed his hand sign, his expression not receding in the slightest. Gathering the chakra to his feet was so simple now, he almost felt like he didn't need the hand sign. But he wasn't going to take the risk of trying something he didn't know would work. Well… that wasn't entirely true.

With the chakra in place, he was ready to go. But he decided to try something else, something that might give him an edge. He hopped in the air, landing on the railing behind. His feet had barley made contact however, before he bent his knees and kicked off, propelling himself forward. He sprinted across the ground, his momentum even greater than if he'd just ran. He didn't waste time jumping, he continued running even as he reached the wall, making sure his final acknowledgement of gravity was a large step that took him onto the wall. Keeping his speed, he then continued to run up the wall, heading straight for his forehead protector.

Damn, he could feel the chakra fading away. Each step was becoming harder to maintain, but he was so close, he couldn't give in now.

"_Come on!" _he thought, _"Just… a little more!"_

He reached out with his hand, but remembered Kisame's words, that he was to do so without them. It wasn't painful, but the strain was immense. He pounded the next few feet out, and actually managed to reach the railing.

"Yes!" Naruto cried, grabbing on and vaulting over. He landed on the other side, breathing heavily, but overjoyed. He had done it! He had actually done it! Kisame took a couple of steps toward Naruto, grinning broadly.

"Not bad kid, but you've still got a long way to go." he muttered, shaking his head. Naruto didn't hear him, blood was pounding through his ears, his heartbeat the only audible sound aside form his breaths. He placed a hand on his knee, and pushed himself to his feet. He then placed his hands on his back as he stretched, before turning around to retrieve his forehead protector.

"Hey, where'd it-?" he muttered, looking around. He then noticed that it was once again in the hand of Kisame, who was walking off casually, "Hey! What's the deal?"

"What?" Kisame asked, looking back, "You don't seriously think that's enough to make me give you this do you? There is more to being a Shinobi than mere chakra control you know."

Naruto hung forward with an expression of complete exasperation. All that effort and he didn't even get to have his forehead protector back. Kisame really was, very mean.

"Come on, it's late and we shall be rising early tomorrow." Kisame said, as he made distance. Naruto shook his head, before following. He caught up with Kisame and tried keeping pace, this monster took big steps. They walked into the shadows of the lower tiers of Amegakure, where space took on a strange meaning. It still felt like they were outside, the air quality and temperature hadn't changed, yet they were surrounded by walls of pipes, and the floor above. The sound of rushing water surrounded them, rivers travelled their designated courses around the strange pair. Kisame smirked, although his reasons weren't obvious, and Naruto wasn't about to ask. However, there was something he was curious about.

"So what else do I need?" he asked, looking up at the peculiar looking man.

"You now have more skill with chakra control." he replied, "That means you now have the means of which to learn complicated Jutsu. That is something for another time however. I think the next area to focus on will be your speed and stealth. You put a lot of effort into that last run, yet it was embarrassingly slow. As for stealth, I can already confirm that you are about as subtle as an urchin in a buffet."

Naruto huffed, he didn't think he was that bad. He'd always thought himself to be pretty fast, and he was usually pretty good at getting by unnoticed. Although upon reflection, it might not have been because of his skills that no one looked at him. He glanced back up at Kisame, who seemed to be in a pretty good mood for some reason. He didn't need to ask however, Kisame caught him looking and his grin widened.

"I wonder if Ame has any decent medic-nin?" he said, "I believe I have your next training figured out. However, before we do that, there is one more chakra control Jutsu you will need to learn."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, raising his brow.

"The walking on water Jutsu." Kisame replied, with a malicious smirk.

* * * * *

Naruto barely made it through his door. He couldn't believe it, all that training and he had to climb all those stairs as well. However, he figured that if he got a little more practice in with what he just learned, maybe he could head straight up here from outside, rather than what he had just done. He closed his door, and flicked on the light switch to his right. Four bulbs lit up, shining into each corner of the room like spotlights. Naruto dragged his feet as he walked, heading for the door between his bed and wardrobe. He hadn't paid it much attention earlier, but now that he was in this state, a simple thing like that was the only kind of activity he could bring himself to do.

He reached the door, and just before opening it he noticed that the cloak was still on his bed. He would make sure to return that to the wardrobe in a minute. When he wore that, he wanted to be acknowledged as a full fledged Shinobi.

He pushed forward, and the door obeyed, opening into darkness. Naruto tapped the wall with his palm until he found what he was looking for. The lights came on, to Naruto's surprise it wasn't a fluorescent light like he had expected, but a long strip along the wall on his side, consisting of six more spotlights which shone to the opposite wall, where the countertops and appliances were located. The room was a shining white, immaculate linoleum floors and tiled walls with pristine countertops and a magnificent fridge, all of them gleaming with cleanliness. It really pissed Naruto off. Not only was it too bright, but it was going to be murder keeping this place looking clean. He doubted Deva would be providing maid services as well, that would be a bit too much to expect.

He reached out again and turned, thankful that this room had a dimmer instead of a simple switch like his bedroom. He toned down the lights and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. It looked like the countertops ran all across the opposite side of the room, and along the wall to Naruto's right. Behind the door, three tall metal chairs sat, facing the window. The fridge was directly in front of him, with two empty counters on the left. Then there was the cooker, with the sink next to it. The kitchen was fairly small, but the converted counters to the right provided an eating area that meant there really was plenty of room to move around, as long as Naruto was just in here by himself.

He walked over to the fridge, opening it and inspecting the contents. He may have lucked out with the cloak and stuff, but in here things were pretty plain. Milk and sandwich fillings mostly, with vegetables and other stuff. It was almost ordinary, except what ordinary person would put such ordinary stuff in their fridge? Naruto sighed, closing it and turning to his left. It looked like there was one more door there, probably the final place in his self given tour. He looked in and saw just what he expected. This was the bathroom, judging by the toilet, sink and shower. He could be mistaken however.

He stepped in and turned the light on, this time by a cord. The tiled floors were a plain blue, and the walls were also tiled, but in various shades of blue placed in a random pattern. The toilet was directly opposite the door, not unusual, and was a typical white. As was the sink. The shower however, was a more impressive sight. It was a cubicle, with opaque glass that reached from floor to ceiling, hiding anything below the collar of anyone who would be using it. The shower head was placed in the corner, hanging over the centre like a curious spectator. Just left of the shower was a silver radiator, with a blue towel hanging over it, ready for use. And between the radiator and sink was a strange looking drawer. Naruto observed it and noticed the engraved writing stating "laundry". That surprised Naruto. It looked like there was a better service going on here than he expected.

"Ha-hyaaaaaah!" he yawned, stretching. He was more than a little exhausted, but if Kisame really intended on training him early, now was probably the best time to take a shower, _"Weird, I'm miles away from Konoha, but I don't feel strange at all."_

* * * * *

Kisame was sitting in a bar, looking out into the street as he idly held his drink in his hand. The place was pretty quiet, it was nearing closing time, but the barman didn't have the courage to tell Kisame that. As it was, that meant there were only three people in the bar.

"How long do you expect to be here?"

"This kid's an idiot, it will probably be a while." Kisame relied, without looking, "But he does have a lot of determination for such a runt, this may be enjoyable."

"I see… what was it leader-sama told you of this?"

"It wasn't he, it was his second in command, Konan, I think her name was." Kisame said, noticing the other person's nod of agreement, "She just said I was to train the Kyubi Jinchuriki. I gotta say, I was surprised. I thought we were gonna seal them, not raise them as pets."

"Then it would appear the situation has changed."

"Yeah."


	5. Just beneath the surface

I was surprised to find that I managed to surpass my minimum word count with only eight pages of writing. I didn't think I'd get this finished today, but I just couldn't bring myself to stop. It feels like things are moving fast, but really they're not. Maybe it's just because I don't really know where this is going, and what I'm writing is the furthest ahead I can think of. I can say one thing for sure, I can't wait to really get into this story. The uncertainty is driving me crazy. Don't worry though, I'm not doing this half assed. It's just without canon, a lot of thinking is required.

Disclaimer: I actually have people in my college classes that want to read my work. Does anyone think a non-Naruto fan could make sense of this?

* * *

Just beneath the surface

"I… I think I got it!" Naruto called out, holding his arms out for balance.

"I should warn you, if you fail, you will lose a lot of blood." Kisame warned.

They had returned to the same place they had trained before, because it was out of the way and no one was around. Kisame had spent the entire morning teaching Naruto the walking on water Jutsu, which Naruto had found to be a lot more difficult than what he learned yesterday. Now Naruto stood atop the water, looking around himself uncertainly while adjusting the leather strap Kisame had given him. It had five pouches in it, but all were empty. It was a little heavy, but nothing compared to his clothes and hair, which were dripping wet and weighing him down considerably. Several yards in front of him, Kisame stood with his back to Ame, having no trouble standing on the water. There was no wind today, the air was still. Naruto was glad of that, he was freezing as it was.

"Uh… give me a minute." Naruto replied, his nerve failing him a little. He raised his left foot, testing his balance, before doing the same with the other. When both feet were on the water again, he paused for several seconds before nodding and uncertainly lowering his arms, "Ok, I'm ready."

Kisame nodded slowly, before raising his hands. He then placed both his palms together, before lowering one onto the water's surface.

"Suiton: Goshokuzame!" he called, placing his hand on top of the water. All Naruto saw was a large ripple cast across the surface, but there was no signs to reveal what Kisame's Jutsu really was, "Now then, your objective is to retrieve the five scrolls from those posts, making as little impact on the water as possible. They will sense your vibrations, the stronger they sense, the faster and fiercer they will attack. And no Jutsu!"

Naruto raised his brow, looking down at the water in the hope he would spot what Kisame was talking about. Below the surface, he could see some shadows moving, seeing only enough to make one assumption; they were large. He then glanced behind him. In random positions, placed with at least five metres distance between each other, there were five posts with scrolls standing vertically atop them. He could see that not only that, but there were also numbers marking them, one to five. He had to take each scroll in order then, which made things even more difficult.

He looked back down to the water. Although there was no breeze, the pipes were still pouring the gathered rain out, so there was a constant ripple coming from those points. That was something at least. If whatever was below there cloud sense vibrations, they'd be pretty confused by the disturbance. Naruto looked back up, turning around to face the scrolls.

The water behind him erupted, Naruto barely had time to avoid as something crashed through the spot he had been barely a second ago. But his movement had only caused worse ripples, and he could visibly see the shadows darting at him at incredible speeds. In no time, he was avoiding wave after wave of thrashing attacks coming from whatever lurked in the depths. He was forced to run across the water, zigzagging as he dodged the missile like things.

"_What the hell is going on?!" _he thought, as he leapt into the air and spun around. His eyes widened in shock as he realised what was preying him. He looked at Kisame incredulously, "Sharks?! Are you serious?!"

"Why should I go easy on you?" Kisame asked, "Your opponent won't."

Naruto landed back on the water, only to have to jump up again as a shark attacked from below. Upon closer inspection, the sharks seemed to be made of water. That meant conventional attacks wouldn't work. However, Naruto didn't know that. He was soon to learn though, when he tried attacking one with a kunai. Needless to say, it wasn't a great idea. His slash cut through the sharks body, but it soon restored itself with the surrounding water, and whipped around at Naruto.

"Damn it!" he thought, as he lunged to his left. The shark fell below the water again, but the others were converging on Naruto's position.

"You're only making this harder on yourself!" Kisame called, "You're only going to get yourself killed!"

Naruto's eyes widened as suddenly, all five sharks attacked at once, lunging at him viciously. It turned out for the better however, as the shock of the attack broke Naruto's concentration and he fell below the waters surface. Subsequently, the sharks crashed into each other, exploding in a burst of water. Naruto used his chakra to propel himself back to the surface, where he jumped into the air and cheered.

"Yeah, I did it!" he cried, punching the air.

"Suiton: Goshokuzame!" Kisame called, placing his hand back onto the water, "You've done nothing idiot!"

Naruto landed on the water just before the first shark was summoned. As such, it didn't notice the vibrations he made. This gave Naruto the opportunity to rest and figure out what to do next.

"You have failed to retrieve a single scroll." Kisame said, annoyed, "Now quit messing around and GET MOVING!"

Naruto looked around, making sure not to cause any movement large enough to attract the sharks. He wasn't far from the one of the posts, maybe ten yards. That was fine, it looked like he had an opportunity then. All that he required was the preparation to do what he needed. But for that, he would need room to move.

"_Let's see…" _he thought, _"I can't use my Kage Bunshin, so I can't distract them… I can't just run for it either, they can attack from any direction…"_

Naruto's lips spread into a grin, of course! He knew exactly what to do!

Slowly, so not to alert his pursuers, he reached for his weapons pouch. He opened it delicately, and drew out a kunai. He gripped it in his hand tightly, looking around for the best spot to make his first move. He made his decision and slowly bent his knees, before leaping into the air. He spun to his left and threw his kunai as far as he could, the little paper seal fluttering as it was dragged along. The metal blade soared through the air, heading for the water as it slowly descended. Just before impact however, the paper ignited, before releasing and explosion in the water.

Immediately the sharks rushed to that position, and Naruto was given his opening. He pulled out something else, a specially made item he'd taken from his trunk that morning. He then hurled it at the nearest post, the thin metal blade piercing the wood. He then pulled on the metal wire in his other hand, causing three arms to spike out from the grappling hook and dig into the post. In that same move, he also pulled himself through the air toward that very same wooden pillar, before grabbing it with his hand and planting both his feet on it. He dropped the wire and grabbed the first scroll, placing it inside one of the pouches of the strap.

"Got one!" he thought, giving a bestial smirk that showed all his teeth. He then looked out, scanning the posts for the scroll marked number two. It was the second furthest away out of the four remaining scrolls. Naruto looked around as he planned his next move. The sharks had recuperated from the explosion and were now searching for him again. Kisame grinned as he watched his student analyse the situation. It looked like he wasn't really the idiot he pretended to be.

"_Well what do you know?" _he thought, _"Now he's my 'student'."_

Naruto looked around with a creased brow, finally deciding on his strategy. He had been lucky to avoid getting hit by the sharks, but he wasn't going to test his luck again.

He pulled himself onto the post, standing atop it as he visualised. The purpose of this lesson was stealth, which meant he had to get through this unnoticed. He imagined a change in environment, he was in the garret of a manor, with five targets which he had to assassinate in a specific order. The positions he had to reach were the places he would need to set traps to take out the sleeping objectives. However, the manor was old and the floorboards creaked at the slightest feeling of pressure. If such a noise were to come into existence, the keen guards below would attack, and risk alerting the targets. He had already used a distraction at great risk, he could have knocked one of the scrolls over with that explosion, and so such a trick wouldn't work a second time. So what should he do?

"_I have to take the scrolls in order." _he thought, _"But that doesn't mean I have to _reach _them in order."_

He crouched down on the post, fixing his eyes onto the nearest one. He glanced down to the water, the sharks were at a distance, since they only had a vague idea of where he was. He then locked his eyes on his target again, before propelling himself off the post, using his chakra for a boost.

He had barely removed himself when suddenly, one of the sharks attacked the post, shattering it in its jaws.

"Did I forget to mention?" Kisame asked, smirking. Naruto grabbed onto the next post, grinding his teeth in annoyance as he saw his grappling hook sink into the depths. He had only been given one, and had quite liked it. Still, at least it was his hook and not his leg, that had been a close call.

"_So empty posts get destroyed huh?" _he thought, as he swung around to gain momentum for his next leap, _"Guess that does make things more difficult."_

He bounded to the next post, then immediately pushed past and kicked off it, heading for the one with the scroll he was seeking. As he flew through the air, he looked down into the water, watching tensely as a shadow passed underneath him. He grabbed the post and pulled himself up again, taking the second scroll.

"_Two down, three to go!" _he thought, as he placed the scroll in its pouch.

* * * * *

"It appears Kisame-san intends to make Naruto-san's training as difficult as possible." Pein said, as he watched the minute orange form from his position, "It would almost seem like he really wants to see Naruto-san badly injured."

"He is succeeding so far." Konan replied, standing behind Pein in the mouth of the monument, "If he can complete his training under these conditions, he'll grow even faster than anyone else in his age group."

"Yes… we need him to grow strong quickly. The Chunin exams will be held in Konoha in a couple of months. I wonder if he should be entered in it."

Konan frowned at Pein. Was he seriously considering such a thing?

"If the Naruto-san sets foot in Konoha, they will do everything in their power to capture him." she replied, "And two months isn't long enough to completely detach him from that place. If he turns back to Konoha, he will have information on both of us, as well as Kisame-san and Zetsu-san."

Pein nodded, allowing a small smile he almost never did.

"Of course, I was simply dreaming idly." he said, "However, the Chunin exams represent the progression of a ninja's skills. I believe we will have to pay strict attention to Naruto's training. He must become as strong as any member of Akatsuki, and with only four years to do so, that will not be simple. We should use the Chunin exams as a marker for his progress. He must equal that level in two months."

This time Konan's brow rose. Two months was nowhere near enough time for a new Genin to reach Chunin level. Especially in Naruto's case.

Pein glanced back at her, giving a small nod. She understood, and left without a word. Pein looked back to Naruto, who had just reached another scroll.

"However, perhaps Kisame-san is taking this too far."

* * * * *

Naruto's breathing was heavier now, this was getting really difficult. He now had just a single scroll left to retrieve, and it was at the farthest away position. All the other posts had been destroyed the moment Naruto had removed himself from them, and now he was facing the greatest distance. It appeared the posts positions weren't so random after all. What's more, the sharks had all gathered between the two points, swimming in circles as the waited for any signs of movement.

Naruto's head whipped around the area. There was nothing, _nothing _to give him any ideas on how to get to his last scroll. It was obvious to him now that Kisame was still controlling the sharks, but just to an extent. He was sure that if he tried an explosive tag again, it wouldn't work. Aside from that, all he had were kunai and shuriken, nothing else to help him get through this.

He blinked in surprise. Looking up, he realised that it had started raining. Tiny droplets fell from the sky, soon turning into a thick wall of water dropping from the clouds above. Naruto looked around, it was so thick, he couldn't even see Kisame anymore. All that was in sight was him and the scroll. He looked down to the water, his brow rising. The rain was confusing the sharks! They were all over the place, trying desperately to find Naruto. That meant Kisame couldn't see him! This was his chance!

Naruto dashed off the post, sprinting to the final scroll. All around him, the sharks were darting, every now and then they would lunge through the air, but never getting it right. They did however get close, close enough to force Naruto to change direction. But he was in the clear now, the scroll was almost in his-

Suddenly, a shark burst out of the water, smashing through the post and sending the scroll flying. Naruto's eyes widened as it neared the water, if it fell down there, he would have no chance. However, as fortune or perhaps coincidence would have it, the very shark that destroyed the post fell back into the water, the impact of which burst water into the air and sent the scroll high above, spinning like a pinwheel. Naruto jumped into the air and grabbed it, quickly placing it in the correct pouch. He landed on the water, looking around for the sharks once more. But they were all gone, it was just Naruto out there. Well, almost.

"Well done." Kisame said, as he walked towards Naruto, "All five, and not a scratch on you. I have to admit, I'm impressed."

"Just… promise you won't give me something like that again." Naruto replied, placing his hands on his knees as he took a short rest. Kisame grinned as he reached Naruto, looking down at him.

"I could make a promise, but I won't necessarily keep it." he said, "I think there's just one more test I need to see before you can have your forehead protector."

Naruto straightened up, which wasn't easy considering the weight of the water on his clothes. It was freezing before, now he was going numb.

"What's that?" he asked, suddenly having the desire to be in his room.

"Tomorrow." Kisame replied, turning away, "For now, you should get something dry on. You'll catch your death out here."

"Ha ha, very funny." Naruto huffed as he and Kisame walked away.

* * * * *

Naruto lifted the zip of his pullover, tightening it to its limit. He had dried himself of and changed into the clothes given to him upon his arrival. He checked himself out in the mirror, then glanced down a little. He hadn't worn his goggles since yesterday, he'd completely forgotten about them. He shrugged, he wasn't planning on going anywhere anyway, it was still raining heavily.

He glanced off to his right as he suddenly noticed the temperature drop. It sounded like it was coming from the hall, the sound of rain was a little louder out there. He walked over to the door and opened it, looking outside.

Someone was leaning through the open window at the left end of the hall. Naruto raised his brow, the person was wearing the Akatsuki's cloak, but Naruto couldn't make out who it was. However, there was no doubt about the person being Zetsu or Kisame, not with that shape. It looked like a woman, by how the cloak fitted her. That surprised Naruto, how many members of Akatsuki were there? And were all of them here?

The woman turned around as she realised she was being watched. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw her, she was very beautiful. Her deep blue hair, amber eyes and lip piercing certainly made her an individual, he had never seen anyone quite like her. However, from her expression she also seemed rather stoic, she looked at Naruto in the same way she would an inanimate object.

"You are Uzumaki Naruto?" she asked, taking Naruto by surprise.

"Uh, yeah." he replied, as he closed his door behind him. The woman gave a slight nod, before turning back to the window and leaning on the sill. Naruto stared at her back, it was a strange sort of meeting. But he couldn't just go back into his apartment, and he definitely didn't want to go back to those hellish stairs, so he decided to join her. She glanced out the corner of her eye as she saw him lean next to her, but said nothing.

"So… do you like the rain or something?" Naruto asked, making a weak attempt at conversation. The woman didn't reply, nor did she even look at Naruto. He decided that was a pretty lame question to ask, and figured he should try something that might matter, "Do you work with the others?"

"I am Deva's partner." she replied, simply.

"Partner?" Naruto repeated, with a raised brow, "You mean… you're…"

"That I work closely with him." she said, before Naruto could say something stupid.

"Oh, right." Naruto muttered, realising he was making himself look like an idiot, "He's a pretty cool guy."

The woman raised a brow at this. Deva had been called many things, but never "a pretty cool guy".

"So if you work with him, does that mean you two are close?" Naruto asked, looking up at her, "You both have that same look, you know?"

The woman dismissed this. It was a fairly banal assumption to make.

"Kinda like you wanna smile, but can't."

This time the woman looked right at Naruto. What was that? Naruto looked back up at her, smiling himself.

"He was talking to me about the things he wanted to do." he explained, "And you could sort of see it, like there was something in there that couldn't quite make it through."

The woman was taken by surprise by this idea. How could he have some to a conclusion from having only met Deva once? She backed up a little as Naruto cocked his head at her, giving a sweet smile that made her a little uncomfortable.

"So what's your name?" he asked, with innocent curiosity. The woman blinked at it, was this what Kisame was having to deal with?

"Uh, it's Konan." she replied, settling down.

"Konan?" Naruto repeated, blinking. It was an unusual name, but not a bad one, "Wow, that's another thing you and Deva got in common, you both have really cool names!"

Konan resisted the urge to sigh, she new that in time, this kid could really wear her down. She looked out the window again, finding it easier than seeing the way he looked at her in such a strangely familiar way. Naruto did the same, watching as the rain fell down.

"So are you a missing-nin as well?" he asked, "I saw Kisame-sensei's Forehead protector, I know he's one."

"No, I am like you, I never officially became a ninja." Konan replied, "Deva started Akatsuki here, but neither of us come from this place."

"You two are pretty close, huh?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You just call him "Deva"."

Konan closed her eyes for a moment. He came of as an idiot, but it seemed Naruto was actually quite sharp at times. She opened them again, giving a slight nod.

"Yes, we grew up together." she said, deciding the pretence was pointless.

"Really?" Naruto asked, his smile dropping to a small one, "You're pretty lucky."

Konan looked again at Naruto. How did he come up with this stuff?

"Naruto-sama."

The two of them looked back. A man stood wearing a baggy shirt and jeans. He had a pretty kind face, and fair brown hair. Konan recognised him, but it took the paint stains on his clothes for Naruto to realise who he was.

"I hope I'll see you later." Naruto said, as he backed away from Konan.

"Uh, yeah." Konan replied, as he opened his door and let the decorator in. He smiled and waved just before he disappeared from sight. But even after he was gone, Konan found herself still watching the spot he had been. That was certainly a strange encounter, but not really an unpleasant one. She straightened up, her expression not quite stoic, more like it didn't know what to make of itself.

"Lucky?" she repeated, in a quiet voice.

* * * * *

A light breeze blew over the resting dunes, sending a small mist of sand over the hills and off to the horizon. The dry desert offered little sanctuary, peace was found only by the cold blooded in such a place. The sun had set, the temperature had dropped dramatically. The full moon rose over the horizon, looking much larger when compared to the uneven hills of deep beige. The desert was unforgiving by day, and uncaring by night. Apathy seemed to fill the air, added with a scent of malcontent. But it was a rare sort of calmness which was evoked only in the complete solitude the desert provided. Yet at the same time, it was despairing. There was nothing here, the empty horizons held more than anything close by.

It was the perfect place for someone who truly knew what loneliness meant. However, in this situation, those words did not apply. After all, for loneliness to exist, it requires someone to be alone, which in this case wasn't true.

"Get out here." ordered a hoarse, raspy voice. From the sands rose a grey column, the moonlight discolouring it almost completely. The column then split apart, revealing what appeared to be an erratic tear, making it appear like a set of jaws. As they separated, a head was revealed, followed by the upper half of a torso. The person inside was rather strange looking, white as the moon on one side, black as the night on the other. He surveyed the creator of the long shadow cat beside him with amusement.

"For you to have noticed us, **your perception is commendable**."

"This desert holds no secrets for I." the voice replied, "Now tell me why you are here, before I kill you for intruding."

"**How barbaric, **we only wanted to make an offer to you."

The shadow moved, as its creator turned to face the newcomer.

"Why should I be interested in anything you have to offer?" the voice asked.

"We can give you what you desire." the stranger replied, "And if you like, we can break your loneliness."

The shadow made no movements to signify the acknowledgement of the strangers words. The creator seemed to stand completely still. But something did change. Something large and shapeless grew from the shadow's shoulder, like the tail of a monster. The stranger frowned, this wasn't going as expected.


	6. Taking his place

I wonder, has this story gone on long enough to justify a small timeskip? It's just that I think the Kisame Naruto training sessions are beggining to become dull. And besides, I want the outcome to be a surprise. So what do you think, too soon for a little timeskip? Let me know. Also, I was just thinking, Naruto's greatest skill isn't his Rasengan, or his Senjutsu. It's his ability to completely and totally mindfuck everyone he meets. Seriously, you ever notice that half the people he fights seem to end up admiring him? Of course you do, it's one of the most notable things about him... pisses me off a little.

Disclaimer: Zabuza, Haku, Neji, Gaara, Sai, Orochimaru, Kakuzu, Nagato, all of them are victims of Naruto's mind rape!

* * *

**Taking his place**

Naruto left his room, now back in his ninja clothes, as he now saw them. The decorators arrived just as he was about to close the door. They guy from last night, Ayumu, was there with two others, a grey bearded man in denim overalls and a young woman with brown hair tied back in a ponytail. They were each marked with paint stains, this obviously hadn't been their first call of the day. The old man seemed a little tired, which was no surprise considering the amount of stairs. The other two just had a little sweat on their brows, moistening the paint on their cheeks. Ayumu carried a couple of heavy looking tins of paint, the woman held rollers and trays under her arms while the old man lifted a large pile of sheets in both arms. Naruto smiled and thanked them for what they were about to do, to which they modestly smiled back.

"It's no trouble." Ayumu replied, "Ame's a big place, we get a lot of work in tall buildings."

They waved as they walked into Naruto's room, Naruto returning it as he opened the window on the right side of the hall. After yesterdays training, walking on walls had become incredibly easy. It meant he now had a shortcut to taking the stairs. However, it was a different case when it was raining, which fortunately today it wasn't. he vaulted through the window and let himself fall for a few dozen metres before he gripped onto the wall and began running down.

Pein watched Naruto's descent with faint interest. That boy had certainly grown accustomed to living in Amegakure quickly. He was already eager to learn, just like any young academy student would be. How he could be so jovial, Pein couldn't understand. He considered maybe having another conversation with Naruto, he was quite an intriguing person, Pein wondered how someone from Konoha could be like that.

"I take it things didn't go as planned?" he asked, as he watched Naruto grow smaller.

"He is quite different from Naruto-san." Zetsu replied, **"He didn't even here us out."**

"I see…" Pein muttered, "So that is the difference between Suna and Konoha is it?"

"What would you have us do?" Zetsu asked, smirking faintly, "We tried to take him by force, but his defence is impressive."

"You attacked him?" Pein asked, looking back at Zetsu expressionlessly. Zetsu, who didn't have Konan's experience with Pein, read nothing from it, "Then there is no choice. It must be Naruto-san who convinces him to join us. He will not listen to anyone from Akatsuki."

"Then shall we escort him?"

"No, he is not ready for that yet." Pein replied, looking ahead again, "We have two months with which to make our move. If he really is going to enter the Chunin exams, and if he is as you say he is, things will only be more difficult. We need Naruto to become that much stronger in a short amount of time."

"**That is quite a goal." **Zetsu said, "Are you sure he can manage such a thing?"

"We will see."

* * * * *

Naruto landed on the ground, where Kisame awaited him with his sedge hat on. Naruto walked up to him and looked up expectantly, before the two of them headed off in a direction different than the way they had gone for previous training. They walked through the thin streets, the tall buildings hiding the sunlight and keeping them in the shadows. People made way as the giant man and the short boy passed through, staring at the pair bewilderedly. The air was stuffy, the ventilation of the buildings poured steam and smoke into the street. It was really a pathetic scene, the place was filthy. Pages of old newspapers were stuck firmly to the ground, almost becoming part pf the gravel they walked across. Naruto looked around, wondering what they could be doing in such a barren place.

"Why are we here, Kisame-sensei?" he asked, glancing up at the giant.

"This is the perfect place to conduct the final test." Kisame replied, taking amusement in being called "sensei", "I will need to see if you are capable of doing something that every Shinobi must be prepared to do."

Then, without warning, Kisame grabbed Naruto by the back of his jacket and threw him into an alleyway. Barely anyone showed any signs of concern as Naruto cried in shock. However, there was one person who took notice. The very person Naruto was thrown into and knocked to the ground.

"Let's see how you handle a life or death situation." Kisame said to himself, as he continued on his way. Naruto placed his hands on the ground, pushing himself up.

"Ow, sorry mis-" he began, but before he could finish, he was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and lifted into the air.

"Damn punk." growled a very large man. He wasn't as tall as Kisame, but he was quite a size. He was slightly overweight, with patches of sweat on his armpits and the small of his back. His rolled back sleeves revealed very hairy arms, and his torn jeans suggested he'd thrown his considerable weight around on several occasion. And man, was that a mean looking face. The stubble on his square jaw held weeks of dirt, and his broken nose was almost pressed against Naruto's. His thick brows were contorted with rage and his beady eyes bored straight through Naruto's skull, giving him the appearance of a furious bull. His grip on Naruto's shirt tightened, and the boy struggled to break free.

"Hey! Let me go!" Naruto grunted, as he gripped the man's beefy hand and tried to prise his stubby fingers away. The man responded by swinging his arm around and slamming Naruto into the alley wall. Naruto cried out in pain as a piece of jutting stone dug in between his shoulder blades, but the man didn't even blink. He reached back with his massive hand, which curled into a fist as he prepared himself to punch Naruto _through _the wall, imagining he could. Naruto grunted as the man's hand pressed hard against his chest, restricting his breathing. He raised his feet and pressed them against the man's fleshy chest, before pushing away in an attempt to free himself. But the man was stronger, he wasn't about to give in so easily. He tensed the muscles in his arm, and swung his fist forward, straight for Naruto's face.

"GAH!" Naruto yelled, as he pumped chakra into his feet and kicked out. The man's beady eyed widened in shock as he was knocked back into the opposite wall, his head striking the stone. Naruto fell to the ground, panting as he tried to catch his breath. He got to his feet, a hand on his knee for support. His back was killing him, that was definitely going to become a large bruise.

"Gur…" the man groaned, as he shook his head, he then clambered to his feet, giving Naruto an infuriated glare. He pulled from behind him a switch blade, the dull dagger revealing that it had been used often. He charged at Naruto, lashing out with his knife. Naruto dodged to the left, landing in a puddle of filth. Dirty water splashed onto his face, leaving traces of mud on his cheek. He quickly got to a crouched position as the man lunged at him again, putting all his weight into the attack. Naruto tried to dodge to the left again, but the man lashed out with his right hand, forcing Naruto to the other side and at the blades tip. Naruto managed to avoid it for the most part, but received a cut across the forehead in the process.

"Ah!" he cried, as he was forced to the ground, the man leaning over him with his blade held high. Naruto quickly formed a hand sign, just as the man's grip on his weapon tightened, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The man looked up in surprise as a second Naruto charged at his raised arm, wrapping both of his own around it without stopping. The man was raised into the air a little, forced to a kneeling position. He raised his other hand to strike the second Naruto, when a third grabbed that arm and did the same as the second. A fourth Naruto then hopped over the original, delivering a kick that knocked the man onto his back. He'd barely struck the ground however, when the fifth and final Naruto fell from the sky, driving his elbow into the man's gut.

"GWAH!" the man cried, as all the air was forced out of his lungs. Naruto finished the move by getting to his feet, walking around the man and dropping a smoke pellet in his gaping mouth. The pellet burst, and purple smoke poured from the fat maw, leaving the man gagging. Naruto walked out the alley, where Kisame was waiting for him leaning against the wall.

"Not bad little boy." he said, grinning. Naruto glared up at Kisame, that had by far been the worst training yet, "Don't look at me like that. This is nothing compared to what I had to do."

Naruto continued to glare, not saying a word to his cruel sensei. Kisame sighed, getting off the wall.

"Can you imagine what it's like to have to kill your closest friends, just to pass your graduation exam?" he asked. Naruto's brow shot up, his anger forgotten.

"Are you serious?"

"Very." Kisame replied, reaching into his cloak, "Well, I'd say you've about proven yourself. Here, use this to stem the bleeding."

He handed Naruto his forehead protector, taking him by surprise. He held the shining plate in his hand, seeing the wound on his forehead clearly. He looked up at Kisame with wide eyes.

"You mean I can wear this now?" he asked.

"No, I'm recommending you wear it." Kisame replied, "Otherwise you will lose a lot of blood and probably die."

Naruto blinked, as he realised something warm was trickling down the side of his face. He hastily unzipped his jacket and tore a piece of his shirt off, before pressing it against his wound. Kisame cocked a brow at this, to which Naruto grinned.

"I don't wanna get blood on it just yet." he explained. Kisame grinned, nodding.

"That's quite some Shinobi pride you have there." he said, before jerking his head, "Come on, lets get that cleaned up."

Naruto nodded, following Kisame back towards the tower. He wasn't sure if it was because of the blood loss, or having his forehead protector back, but he was feeling surprisingly light at the moment, like if he jumped, he would jump higher than ever before. Kisame noticed this strange cheeriness, it was rather contagious. He himself was usually in a good mood after a fight, but this was different. It was like Naruto had completely forgotten about the test, and now the only thing he could focus on were the five lines on the metal in his hands. It wasn't quite the same, but if that experience had been so easily out shadowed by personal gain, then perhaps…

"_I may be reading too much into it," _Kisame thought, _"However, I wouldn't want _that _to go to waste, maybe he can use it."_

Naruto walked along, smiling to himself with his hand pressed to his forehead, oblivious to Kisame's thoughts and intentions. If the two were to be compared, Naruto would seem to be very simple minded.

They left the urban disaster behind, and headed towards the tower. Naruto didn't like thinking of it as a mortuary, and did his best to ignore that fact. After all, who in their right minds would want to live in a place like that? Whenever he thought about it, he always told himself that the part he lived in wasn't a mortuary, a sit wasn't used as such. It made things a little easier, but hell if he was going to venture the halls in the dark.

They climbed the wide stairs up to the tower, and walked through the doors. One of the receptionists saw Naruto and immediately hurried over with a first aid kit.

"Please Naruto-sama, let me clean that up for you." she said, as she lead Naruto to the armchair in the lower left corner and sat him down. She opened the kit and pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, before delicately peeling away the torn piece of fabric with her fore finger and thumb. She then removed the handkerchief from her blazer and placed it on the coffee table on her left, before putting the bloody piece of cloth atop it. She then took a piece of cotton wool and damped it with the contents of a small bottle, before gently dabbing the cut, "It doesn't look so bad, just a nick."

Naruto smiled at her, surprising the woman. She was usually treated considerately, but very rarely with genuine gratitude. She smiled back at him, before continuing to clean off the blood on his face. She finished by applying a band aid to the wound, and she was done.

"There we go, all done." she said, packing up her equipment and getting to her feet.

"Thank you." Naruto said, looking up at her. She smiled at him, before returning to her post, removing the gloves. Kisame grinned at Naruto, who rejoined him.

"Quite a charmer." he said, as Naruto stood next to him, "One would almost forget how you got that cut."

Naruto blinked, confused. He then looked down at his forehead protector, before pressing it against the designated place and tying it. When he looked back up, he was grinning at Kisame, who returned it.

"That actually suits you." he said, "You were born to be a Shinobi."

Naruto's grin broadened as he said that, it was definitely the sort of thing he liked to hear. Kisame looked up at the ceiling, with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I doubt you have any Shunshin skills." he said, partially thinking aloud, "But hell if I'm taking the stairs."

Naruto blinked in surprise as Kisame took hold of his arm and made a seal with his right hand. Then he was hit with a rushing feeling as he was dragged at speeds impossible to make out. All colour faded away, he couldn't make anything out. But it was over in an instant, leaving Naruto with an aching shoulder.

"Wha… what the hell just happened?!" he asked, after falling to the ground.

"Shunshin no Jutsu." Kisame replied simply, turning to a set of double doors and knocking.

"Come in." called Deva's voice. Naruto looked up, realising in surprise that at the top of the building, on the floor where he'd first properly met Deva.

"_Wow, shunshin no Jutsu is pretty incredible!" _he thought, as he got to his feet. Kisame opened the door and walked in, with Naruto close behind. In the room, Deva was standing inside, leaning against the wall just next to the opening with his arms folded. He looked at Kisame and Naruto expressionlessly, but took notice of the headband Naruto now wore.

"So you think Naruto-san has earned his place?" he asked, looking Kisame in the eyes.

"He has proven himself to have the potential." Kisame replied, grinning, "To that end, I'd like to make a request."

"Go on."

"I would like to take Naruto-san on a little training trip." Kisame explained, "Ame doesn't quite provide that right environment for what I have in mind."

"A training trip?!" Naruto repeated, looking up at Kisame with wide eyes.

"And what would that be?" Deva asked. The idea of Naruto leaving Amegakure so soon wasn't something he would have planned on. But Kisame's only reply was a wider grin, "Very well, but he must return within one and a half months. We have need of him."

"Wait a minute, you're giving me a mission?!" Naruto asked excitedly. He had only just been acknowledged as a Shinobi, and he was already getting missions and training!

"Yes, but I must warn you, no Genin has ever been given a mission like this." Deva replied. He paused for a moment, before nodding, "In fact, this training trip might just be what you need. Very well, do as you must. But do not take it too far. We need Naruto-san in fighting condition by the time he returns."

"So we have four weeks huh?" Kisame thought aloud, "Looks like it'll need to be a crash course for now. That's fine, I'll see what I can do."

Deva nodded, as Kisame turned away. But before leaving, he looked down at Naruto.

"Gather some gear." he said, as he opened the door and walked away. Naruto watched as he left, before turning back to Deva. He had a strange feeling he wasn't to leave yet. Deva turned around and stepped through the window, and stood on the tongue of the sculpture. Naruto followed, standing next to him. A faint breeze blew through Deva's cloak, and his hair was cast to the right, gently drifting along. Naruto looked at him, he was giving off a seriously cool vibe at the moment. Deva looked down at Naruto, expressionlessly, but at the same time not stoic.

"It appears you have met my partner." he stated. Naruto blinked, taken aback by this sudden mention. Deva took this as confirmation, looking ahead once more, "Konan and I have known each other for most of our lives. In fact, she saved my life a long time ago."

Naruto raised his brow. It was strange how strongly Konan reacted to what he had said, and yet Deva had no trouble speaking casually.

"You see, both of my parents were killed during the Second Great Shinobi War." Deva continued, "They were both murdered by Konoha Shinobi."

He looked at Naruto again, his mouth was hanging open.

"They then left with insincere apologies. As a result, I was forced to leave what had been my home and fend for myself. I was left with only a single companion, our family dig, Chibi."

Naruto lowered his gaze, looking down to the village below. Konoha Shinobi had done that? He couldn't believe it, he had always been taught that Konoha sought peace above all else, how could that be true?

Deva lowered himself to a sitting position, his left leg hanging over the edge of the tongue. Naruto looked down at him, he had such a distant look in his eyes.

"So you see, Konoha has a habit of inflicting pain upon others." he said, his hand just below his mouth as his arm rested on his knee, "They try to hide it, but Konoha is the most corrupt of all the five great countries."

He closed his eyes as his face became deeply contemplative. Naruto took a seat next to him, letting both his legs hang over the edge. After a moment, Deva opened his eyes once more and looked up at the sky.

"Konoha prospers from the trade it has with every other country." he said, in a tone that suggested he had thought about it often, "It is also the first country that will be turned to for help, because of its position. That means that despite its façade, Konoha benefits greatly from the conflicts of other nations. It thrives from war and seeks it out. It creates the very people who will seek to destroy it, because that is the way of the people there. If you were to ask me, I could give you the names of at least six people who were created by Konoha, and soon gained the desire to see it fall. it is a place that hides its true, cruel nature. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you that."

Naruto dropped his gaze. Deva was right, he really did know how the people of Konoha could be. They looked at each other with smiles, but whenever Naruto tried to do the same, he was met only with contempt and even hatred. It hurt that no one had wanted to see the real him, they only saw what lay inside of him. Was that what it meant to be from Konoha? That in the end, they all hid their true selves behind a warm and caring pretence?

It certainly seemed that way to Naruto. It actually made sense, now that he thought about it. Konoha had killed Deva's parents, why would that be hard to believe? Whether it was intentional or not, why would it even matter to them? They were at war, the only thing they would care about was how they could keep _themselves _alive, right?

"Why was I so determined to have them acknowledge me?" he muttered, thinking aloud. Deva looked at him, the faint traces of a smile on his lips.

"It is not uncommon to seek to change the way people see you." he replied, "But it is a foolish goal. Do not work for the sake of the opinions of others. Instead, work to change your opinion of yourself. If you believe you have changed into someone you want to be, then it doesn't really matter what the fools who looked down upon you think. Although, there is always the chance that they will see you as you see yourself by the time you are satisfied with who you are."

Naruto looked up at Deva in surprise. He couldn't wrap his head around how someone could seem so stoic, yet somehow charismatic at the same time. Deva leant in a little, looking Naruto dead in the eye.

"Surpass Konoha, make them see that you are beyond what they can ever hope to become." he said, with a slight glint in his eyes, "And if they still refuse to acknowledge them, show them your power firsthand."

Naruto stared at Deva with wide eyes. Those words were certainly inspirational, and Naruto was hit with a drive he had never known before.

"Ok!" he said, grinning and nodding. He clambered to his feet and ran from the room, throwing the door open as he left. Deva watched him disappear. The moment he was gone, the glint faded away and his small smile fell. He returned to observing the village, his thoughts on the near future.

Naruto ran down the staircase to the next floor and barrelled through the door. He saw Ayumu leaning outside his door, looking up at Naruto in surprise.

"Hey!" Ayumu called, jerking his thumb towards the door, "The guys are just taking a break, you need to get something?"

Naruto nodded, walking over to Ayumu who opened the door for him. Inside, the floor, bed, wardrobe and trunk were each covered in white sheets. They had also all been moved into the middle of the room, so the decorators could have room to reach the walls.

"The rest of the team couldn't make it, so I'm afraid this is gonna take a little longer than expected." Ayumu explained, with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry about this, we should really be done in here by now."

The walls were covered in fresh paint, a warm shade of pale orange. The wall on the window side was almost done, and the one with the door to the kitchen was untouched. The place was certainly a lot more cramped with all the furniture in the middle of the room.

"As soon as the walls are finished, we'll get to work moving the carpet in." Ayumu continued, as he led Naruto around to the untouched wall, "Then we'll get started on the kitchen."

"It's looking great so far!" Naruto smiled, looking around with a wondrous expression, "Don't worry about the time though, I'm gonna be gone for a few weeks, so there's no rush?"

"Really? That's a relief!" Ayumu said, with a look that proved it. Naruto headed round to his wardrobe and opened it up, grinning broadly.

* * * * *

"That kid is sure taking his time." Kisame muttered, as he glanced at the stairwell again. It had been about twenty minutes since he'd left Naruto with the leader, was he still with him? What on earth could they be talking about that was taking so long? Annoyed, Kisame headed outside. Maybe some fresh air would help keep his cool. He paced around outside. They had only four weeks to do what he intended, there was no time to dawdle. If it weren't for the fact he had a brain, he'd go up there and tell leader to hurry up so he could leave. As it was, he had little choice.

"You waiting for someone Kisame-sensei?"

Kisame looked up, his brow raised. Naruto stood above the entrance, his arms folded and a confident smirk on his lips. He wore a crimson cloak, with an intricate pattern that reminded Kisame of the sea, or maybe chakra. It was very different from the cloak Kisame wore, it ended at the knees instead of the shins. It also had sleeves that fit comfortably, rather than the loose and wide ones Kisame had. Another thing was that Naruto wore his cloak with the buttons undone, allowing it to billow in the wind. His collar also reached up to points, instead of meeting with a symmetrical line. When worn with the slashed Ame headband and that confident expression, Naruto looked like he had years more experience that he actually did. Kisame grinned broadly at his student, he certainly had the look down.

"Not bad squirt." he said, "But there's something missing."

"Huh? What is it?" Naruto asked, his confident look disappearing. Kisame's eyes flashed as he jerked his head, signalling for Naruto to follow.

"Come on." he said, "I'll show you."


	7. An unusual partnership

Ok, so not quite the timeskip I had planned, but I decided this would leave confused questions aside, at least most of them. Hopefully though it will all make sense, I do put more time into explaining stuff than I used to. I also gave it a great deal of thought, there are elements in here I didn't originally intend to include, the end for example. Well, hopefully my email won't get screwed up today, I recieved all the messages of reviews and story alerts just this morning. For a moment, I had thought no one felt like responding to that chapter, it was kind of a letdown.

Disclaimer: I printed the first four chapters of this and gave it a front cover of the main characters faces. I take it with me to college and show it to anyone who asks about my story. You wouldn't believe the amount of bewildered looks i've seen when people look at Zetsu or Pein. And one guy thought Konan was a man. Fool.

* * *

**An unusual partnership**

"Have you ever heard of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?" Kisame asked, as he and Naruto walked through a dark and wet cave. Water dripped from stalactites, landing in puddles on the ground. By expectation, the place ought to have been freezing. But in actual fact, it was pretty warm, and well lit also. That was due to the strange crystals which grew in mounds along the walls and across the ground, lighting up the cave with a pale blue light and exuding a gentle warmth. Naruto had almost reached out to touch one of them, but Kisame warned him against it. The place really should have been freezing cold, the temperature of the crystals was much greater up close. It was strange how something could look so pretty, yet be so dangerous. Naruto looked up at Kisame questioningly.

"Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" he repeated, "Nope, can't say I have."

Kisame smirked, as if he expected that answer. He and Naruto stepped through an opening that led to a descending passage. Everything around them suggested this place was natural, there were no signs that anyone had ever actually been here before. Although, the small amount of water running across the floor would probably have washed away any signs of life that had been here. Kisame had advised Naruto to watch his step, it was very slippery in here and one false move could result in death.

"I was once a member of that group." Kisame explained, a distant look in his eyes, "We were known as the strongest blade wielding Shinobi born of Kirigakure. However, that legend wasn't strictly true. You see, no one who joined the Seven Swordsmen originally wielded the blades that gave them their name. it was the duty of the most powerful member to decide who could become a part of the organisation, and to give anyone he selects their blade. That way, it was absolute that there would be only seven members."

They reached a fork in the tunnels, the left leading to a deeper and darker descent and the right leading to a lighter, more level path. Kisame tapped Naruto on the arm, gesturing to the right hand path. They made their way through to that direction, where there were a considerable amount of crystals growing, there was scarcely a shadow in the entire corridor.

"And so, it was I who was left to decide who was worthy of joining our organisation, and which blade they were worthy of." Kisame continued, "I took the greatest blade, Samehada, for myself. There were six others with which were to be given to the other members. That was the way things stayed, until I grew bored of the others and their timid ways. So I left, and they seemed to adopt the method of taking on apprentices. Heh heh, fools."

Naruto looked up at Kisame, wondering why he was telling him all this. What did it have to do with what they were doing now? And was that massive object on his back the Samehada he mentioned? How the hell was that a sword, its shape was nothing like a blade! Kisame suddenly grinned, with a nostalgic look on his face.

"There was one person, the last man to become a member before I left." he said, his eyes fixed on a point, yet at the same time distant, "His name was Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. He broke into the final graduation exam and killed all one hundred of the graduates. He himself was still but an academy student!"

Naruto's eyes were wide with shock. A single academy student taking out a hundred would-be Genin? It didn't seem possible, surely only a Kage was that strong?! But he knew Kisame wasn't deceiving him, there was no reason for him to.

"Naturally, I kept an eye on him." Kisame continued, "And when he reached the rank of Jonin, which was quite a short time, I extended the invitation to him. He was interested in becoming stronger, and so accepted without complaint. However, he did have an issue with the blade I had decided to give him."

He seemed to leave his story hanging there as they progressed through the cave. It was a bit annoying, Naruto had been drawn in and wanted to know what had happened next. But Kisame seemed more interested in what lay ahead, than continuing his anecdote. Naruto turned his head back to looking where he was going, it looked like the rest was going to come later.

They left the passage and walked into a large cavern, where the crystals were now plentiful. They brew along the walls, floor and even the ceiling, offering their faint light from every angle. But the light they cast was dim, compared to what was before them.

A huge mass of crystals, literally filling the far side of the room. They started on the ground and steadily grew upward, each varying in size from very small to incredibly large, until the ended near the ceiling. The mass was shaped oddly, with large and small indents placed neatly amongst the glowing gems, as if they had been carved out long ago. They were positioned in a rising pattern, one in the centre and close to the top of the mass, with three on either side steadily descending. Also, as each indent grew nearer to the ground, they also became smaller. From what Naruto could see, they were all empty, their purpose wasn't clear. But one thing was certain. He was completely awestruck.

"What is this place?" he asked, as he surveyed the enthralling glow before him.

"It has no name." Kisame replied, looking at the crystals nostalgically, "I found this place completely by chance, when a heavy storm rolled in and I was separated from my team. I took a look around and found this place."

He reached behind him and gripped the handle of the object on his back, lifting it and holding to out before him as though it were weightless.

"You see how Samehada is acting?" he asked. Samehada, as it was now confirmed to be, was vibrating lightly in Kisame's grip, and there was a faint sound in the air, like an animalistic giggle.

"Gigigigigigigigi!"

"Do you see how it resonates with this place?" Kisame asked, surveying Samehada with an almost soft look in his eyes, "This is where it was born, a broadsword infused with its own chakra."

Samehada continued its high pitched chittering, as if excited to be in this place. Kisame returned it to his back, and took a few steps forward with Naruto beside him. They stood in front of the mass, and now Naruto understood what Kisame had meant by the heat. It was immense, just being there was making him sweat. But the light of the crystals was drawing him in, he could hardly tear himself away. Kisame looked at each indent nostalgically.

"As I was saying, Zabuza-san didn't agree with the blade I gave him." he said, "He took one look at it and actually said to me "A demon is more terrifying than a monster", and he sought out a blade of his preference. He was actually quite entertaining, which is why I allowed him to live. But, as a result…"

Kisame left his words trailing, and walked off to the left of the mass, heading for the last indent on that side. Naruto blinked, before following him. They both stopped in front of it, Kisame looking at the gap, while Naruto looked at Kisame.

"There can only be seven…" Kisame said, his eyes fixed on a point, "And here, lies the seventh."

Naruto slowly turned his head, his eyes widening at what he saw. Deep in the crystals, lay a katana like none he had ever seen before. It was encase in a crimson sheath, shining like it was brand new. The hilt was wrapped in a red cloth, a small line of which hung off the end loosely. Overall, it had no special traits about it in itself, other than the unreal quality it was kept in. But what made it so captivating was the strange red aura that surrounded it, like mist, or smoke. It lay among the blue crystals, which had begun growing around it, trying to draw it in for themselves. Naruto was hit with powerful urge to take it in his hand, but he resisted, for Kisame's eyes were still upon it.

"Ekokaeten." he said, in a low voice, "That is its name. It truly is a sight, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Naruto breathed, not even aware that he'd forgotten to blink. Kisame looked at him, a grin spreading across his face.

"Take it."

Naruto looked up at Kisame in surprise. Kisame looked back at him with his eyes wide, a slightly urging look on his face. Naruto turned back to the katana, uncertain if he had heard right.

"You want me to… take it?" he asked, as he was drawn in by the mesmerising power of the Ekokaeten.

"The Seven Swordsmen are no more, and no one else knows the location of this place." Kisame replied, his expression maintained, "If you do not then no one will."

Naruto blinked several times as his eyes suddenly felt dry. The blade lay before him, in an almost dormant state. The red mist from the hilt raised into the air, curling around an invisible hand. It was so enticing, Naruto anted nothing more than to hold it, to wield it. Slowly, feeling as though he was taking part in a ceremony, Naruto reached out for the sheath, moving his hands through the searing crystals. They burned, but not enough to make him pull back. He stretched his fingers out, and touched the sheath. It was surprisingly cool, considering the surrounding heat. The mist moved away from his hand, as if being repelled by it. He gripped the sheath with his fingers, doing his best to keep from touching the crystals, and slowly raised it. The moment it was removed from its bed, the red mist faded away, and all that there was was Naruto, and Ekokaeten.

"Are you freaking kidding me?!"

Naruto blinked, looking around rapidly for the person that had spoken. But there was no one there, no one who fitted that voice any way. It had sounded like a young mans, and had the smallest tone of an echo following it. Naruto slowly drew his eyes back to the katana in his hand, a stunned look on his face.

"I would have thought you would be glad for someone to wield you, Eko-kun." Kisame said, grinning broadly.

"Aw come on Kisame no Danna! Everyone else got a strong wielder, how come I get this pipsqueak?!"

Naruto was too dazed to even acknowledge the insult. The sword… was talking. Kisame let out a small laugh, shaking his head.

"Always impertinent." he grinned, "I think you two will get along fine."

"Come on Danna, I'm begging you here!"

"That's enough Eko-kun." Kisame replied, turning away, "I'm afraid it's Uzumaki Naruto, or no one."

Naruto couldn't be certain, but he was sure he felt the katana tense up. Or rather, it felt a little lighter in his hand, as if Kisame's words had caused it shock.

"Did you say… Uzumaki?"

Naruto blinked, his mind coming back to the real world. He suddenly felt like he was being surveyed, even though no eyes were upon him. It made him a little uneasy, but it soon faded away, as if the proverbial eyes looked away.

"Fine, let's go."

Naruto raised his brow. That was a surprisingly quick change of heart. But he was still too confused to say anything about it, he just followed Kisame dumbly. He didn't take his eyes off Ekokaeten, he couldn't. he kept watching it even as they left the cavern and ascended through the passage. He barely noticed as the light around him dimmed, due to the number of crystals reducing. But he did get a strange feeling, it was like a series of rapid pulses coming from the katana, almost like it was agitated.

"Would you quit staring at me?!"

"Oh, sorry." Naruto replied, looking up at Kisame's back. This was almost too unbelievable, could this actually be real? He had in his hands a living, talking sword. He had to wonder if this was another effect of the crystals, was he being intoxicated?

They reached level ground, and the last of the crystals were left behind. Now the only source of light was the opening, far ahead. Naruto hurried to catch up with Kisame, who was a few metres ahead. When he was walking next to him, he kept a steady pace, his eyes fixed on the exit. Kisame looked down at him bemusedly, looking between his student and the Ekokaeten. He then returned his gaze to the opening, with a settled look on his face.

They left the cave, walking out into green grass and grey skies. They stood on an outcrop of land, attached to the mainland by an extension of the mountain that stood behind them. A lake almost completely surrounded the area, leading out into forests in every direction. Kisame looked around, casting his eyes across the large mound of rocks behind them and then up at the sky. His brow furrowed slightly and he sighed, dropping his gaze.

"We lost a week just getting here." he said, as he began walking towards the water, "That means it will take a week to get back. That limits our training to just two weeks. We'll have to get to move fast, if you two are to work together."

"Kisame no Danna-"

"Naruto-kun is the one who released you, he is the one who wields you." Kisame interrupted, without looking back. Naruto stared at Kisame with a raised brow. When did it change to "Naruto-kun"?

"It's not that, I've been asleep for so long, I'm a little rusty."

Kisame looked back, a mad grin on his lips.

"Well then, perhaps Samehada can beat you back into shape?" he said, as he gripped his blade.

"Wha- Samehada?! Are you serious?!"

Naruto blinked in surprise as the Ekokaeten suddenly jolted in his hand.

"Come on Naruto, let's do this!"

"Uh… ok." Naruto replied, as he pushed the sheath through his belt strap. He then gripped the hilt in his right hand, and clumsily withdrew the blade. He held it in the air, surveying it in the light. The metal appeared untouched, it shone in the sunlight. Naruto found himself awestruck again.

"Yeah yeah, you're pretty too."

"I- wha?!" Naruto exclaimed, staring at the blade bewilderedly. Kisame chuckled as he brought Samehada out.

"Alright then, let's see what we have to work with." he said, as he took a stance with his feet spread apart. Naruto blinked, before doing the same, holding Ekokaeten in both hands. He wasn't really sure what he'd gotten himself into, but when he was against an opponent with a sword that big, his every instinct told him to run. Kisame didn't give him that chance however, as he leapt through the air and brought Samehada down on Naruto's head.

"HEY HOLD ON A-" Naruto cried, as he raised Ekokaeten to defend himself. His eyes widened in surprise as the two blades connected. Instead of resisting the attack, as he was trying to do, he felt his arms lower as the Samehada did. Then, with the momentum of the attack he spun around on the water at an incredible speed. In an instant, the Ekokaeten's edge was almost touching Kisame's neck.

"Rusty, did you say?" Kisame asked, grinning, "Sounds like you wanted this fight!"

"I'll be the greatest of the seven, I will defeat Samehada!"

Naruto had a stunned look on his face. He was a little dizzy from the move, he had done none of that! Did that mean Ekokaeten had control of his body?

Kisame chuckled again, shaking his head lightly. Naruto didn't know what was so funny, but he certainly felt nervous.

"As expected, you never pay full attention to your surroundings." Kisame said. There was silence for several seconds, before Ekokaeten grunted in annoyance. Naruto looked around, and saw the reason. Samehada was almost touching his right arm, the edge running from his shoulder to elbow. His eyes widened in shock, what sort of fight was this?!

"I can shred Naruto-kun's arm apart in an instant, but an attack like that won't kill me." Kisame said, in an almost taunting tone, "I doubt you could move so swiftly with a dying wielder, could you?"

"Tch."

Ekokaeten lowered itself, dropping to Naruto's side. Kisame's grin broadened, and he did the same, replacing Samehada on his back.

"It looks like you have no skill with wielding a sword." Kisame said, looking at Naruto. Then he turned his gaze to Ekokaeten, "And you seem almost incapable of cooperating with your wielder."

He turned away and walked to shore, his grin maintained. Naruto blinked, before trying to put the blade back in its sheath. It wasn't an easy task.

"Oh for crying out loud."

Naruto's wrist twitched slightly, as Ekokaeten sheathed itself. Naruto gave it an apologetic grin, before hurrying after Kisame.

* * * * *

That night, Naruto and Kisame sat around a campfire, eating some sort of meat skewered on a stick. The sky was clear, and every star could be seen, at least through the leaves. It was a quiet night, there weren't even the sounds of wildlife. Just the crackling of the fire and the sound of Kisame tearing chunks of meat in his teeth. Naruto took his time with his meal, he was too deep in thought. Ekokaeten was laid against the tree beside him, and was being strangely silent. Kisame glanced up at Naruto, smirking at his contemplative look.

"Deep thought doesn't really suit you." he said, as he ripped the last of his meat off the stick. Naruto blinked, looking up at his sensei.

"Oh, sorry." he replied, before looking back down to the fire. Kisame sighed, before sitting back against his tree.

"A word of warning, so you don't make a fool of yourself." he said, as he closed his eyes, "Only someone who wields one of the seven blades can hear them, no one else."

Naruto didn't react to this, it didn't really seem like that big a deal to him. He rested his head against the bark, looking up at the stars. It was strange but he could feel Ekokaeten's presence. It was like he knew it was there, without a doubt.

"Guess we're partners now."

Naruto raised his brow, looking down at the blade. It was strange, although it stayed inanimate, Naruto almost felt like it was another person, and could sort of see the stance, the mood, even tell what direction it was looking in. right now it seemed determined to keep its attention away from Naruto, fixing itself on something deep in the forest.

"Yeah, I guess." Naruto replied, "Is that ok?"

"Guess it's better than nothing. Everyone's gotta start from the bottom, right?"

Naruto grinned, and he was sure that if Ekokaeten had a mouth, he'd be smirking.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll do everything I can to get strong as fast as possible!" Naruto said, with an excited look, "I'm gonna be the greatest Hok-"

He suddenly fell silent, dropping his gaze. He was about to say that he wanted to become Hokage. Was that thought still in his mind? He was sure it was gone by now, but he'd just blurted it out like it was never gone. To be Hokage… was that still his dream? Even after all that had happened, was that still what he wanted?

Ekokaeten noticed Naruto's change in attitude, and was watching him curiously.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Naruto muttered, "Just… thinking about stuff."

"Look, I'm not gonna be partnered with a guy that's melancholy all the time, so you might as well spit it out."

Naruto glanced at Ekokaeten from the corner of his eye. It felt like it was fixed on him, giving him a hard stare. He averted his gaze again, staring at his feet.

"I was born in Konohagakure." he said, in a quiet, but clear voice, "When I was born, the Yondaime Hokage sealed the Kyubi no Yoko inside of me. It had attacked the village, and killed a lot of people. Because of that, the villagers all hated me. At least, that's what Mizuki-san told me… but… I wanted to change their minds, to show them I wasn't a failure. I wanted to become Hokage, so everyone would respect me… but I guess that's not happening, is it?"

Ekokaeten was silent, listening intently to Naruto's words. When he finished speaking, the blade maintained a steady silence for several moments.

"So… the Hokage's like the strongest in your village?"

Naruto nodded slowly, glad that Kisame was asleep.

"So what you were saying was that you wanna be the greatest Hokage, that right?"

"Well, yeah." Naruto replied.

"That's lame."

Naruto blinked in surprise, looking at the blade once more. Lame? How was that lame?

"Why are you settling for just "Hokage"? The world's bigger than just one small village."

"What are you saying?" Naruto asked, leaning on his hand towards Ekokaeten. He heard the blade sigh irritably, which was strange considering it didn't breath.

"I'm gonna be known as the strongest blade in the world. For that to happen, I'll need the strongest wielder in the world, that simple enough for you?"

Naruto stared at Ekokaeten with a raised brow. For a sword, it was very ambitious.

"You want people to respect you right? Why not have the _whole world_ respect you?"

"The whole… world?" Naruto repeated, in a hushed tone. That was certainly a step up from just one village, but did he really need that much recognition? He only wanted the people who had looked down upon him to see him differently, not have worldwide renown. But… it _was _tempting, "So… the strongest ninja, and the strongest sword. Is that what you mean?"

"Yeah, so what do you say?"

Naruto looked up at the sky, a dazed expression on his face. The world was a big place, could he really be known by everyone in it? To have everyone say his name, not in fear and hate, but awe and respect. Now that, was something. He looked back down at Ekokaeten, who waited in anticipation for his answer.

"All right then." Naruto replied, as a grin spread across his lips, "Let's do it!"

"Attaboy!"

Across the fire, Kisame watched them with a single open eye. As he watched the two of them grinning, he did so as well. He had a feeling those two would get along.

* * * * *

A tall figure, a man, descended the spiralling stairs of the tower, heading below ground level towards the subbasement. He bowed his head as he walked through the door and into a tunnel system beneath the building, which looked very much like it would in a hospital. Paved floors and tiled walls greeted him, the pale blue lights shining along the walls. Wires ran across the ceiling, pipes did as well. The corridor was cold, but the air was clear. Ventilation in this place was always decent, it had to be.

He walked through the corridor, his heavy footsteps echoing throughout. This man had a beyond peculiar appearance. His head was bald, and he had a neck that appeared to be thicker than his head. His jaw was of peculiar size and he was constantly smiling, with an unusually wide mouth. But those were the most normal things about his appearance. One either side of his face, he actually had in place of ears, _two more _faces. They were identical to the first, except that one was angry, and the other was expressionless.

He also had six spikes stocking out of his bald head, with a slashed Ame headband just below. On his face, he had two studs on either cheek, with a particularly large one on his chin. And through his nose, there was a vertical ring. All the piercings were made of black material, just like two others before him. And just like those others, his eyes were grey, with several black circles surrounding the pupil. With those eyes, he looked into a room to his left through the glass pane in the door. He stopped and walked in, smiling down at what he saw.

On a metal bed, with a pale cloth covering most of his body, lay the dead Uchiha Madara. The man walked over to him, looking down at the pale face before him. He reached out and pulled back the Uchiha's eyelid, surveying what lay underneath.

"Perhaps you can be of use after all." the man said, before reaching up to his right eye.


	8. In like a storm, gone like the wind

Looks like I need to get a couple of things clear, there appears to be some misunderstanding. One thing, there is absolutely no way in hell I'm giving Naruto the Sharingan. That's way overused and besides, if you read it again you'll see Asura reached up for his own eye. Another thing, cos people have been asking, Ekokaeten is a three part word, Eko=echo, Kae=counter and Ten=Heavens. The idea is that it's a blade that reflects the heavens and strikes the enemy. A final note, I've never done something like this before, so let me know what you think. If it's crap, I'll have to work on it. But it could be useful for character development.

Disclaimer: Remember, any questions, feel free to ask

* * *

**In like a storm, gone like the wind**

The skies were as clear as ever, the sun shone with no disruption. The two cloaked figures, Naruto and Kisame, walked through a quaint little area, a village far unlike the hidden ones. It was by a river, with a sort of pier cast along the bottom of it. The buildings all had thatched roofs, and the windows had no glass. The people dressed simply, and some carried stacks on their backs. As Naruto looked around, it really felt like they'd gone back in time, to a place without technology, or even ninja. It seemed so… peaceful.

They were well into their second week of training. Naruto was usually a fast learner, but Kenjutsu was incredibly complicated. He'd always had trouble anticipating his opponents movements, which was especially important in something that required close contact like this. But he _was _learning, and was constantly going over what he'd learned in his head.

Kisame had also been as vicious as ever. He took delight in showing Naruto exactly where he went wrong, usually by giving him a small cut in the area where his guard was low. Of course, he hadn't been completely ruthless. Each time he sparred with Naruto, he did so with a Kunai, and not Samehada. Naruto was glad of it, a small cut from that weapon would have taken his entire leg off. However Ekokaeten, or Eko as Naruto had come to call him, had seen such an action as an insult, and had no problem with voicing such an opinion.

"I can take Samehada!" he said determinedly. Naruto had also come to know the blade as a "he", rather than Kisame's referring to Eko as an "it". Kisame of course, didn't reply. Not for the reason that he may seem strange to the people they passed by, he had passed that concern well over a decade ago. He simply ignored Eko because he was sick of hearing about it. But Eko wasn't ready to give up, "Come on, I got you that first time!"

Naruto reached behind him, gripping Eko's sheath so he would stop shaking so much. After a suggestion from Kisame, Naruto had decided to tie Eko's sheath onto his back, with just the hilt and guard revealed past his collar. Around his front, on his chest and stomach, he had two leather straps like thin belts which kept the sheath firmly attached to him.

"Come on Eko-kun!" Naruto muttered. He still hadn't quite gotten around to the fact that no one else could hear the katana, and so he looked around nervously, hoping not to attract more attention than they already did, which wasn't an easy thing to do considering how unusual he and Kisame looked, "Don't be so loud!"

"Hey, if you weren't so slow Kisame no Danna wouldn't be using a kunai!"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, ruining his intention to avoid attention. Now everyone was looking at them, and not once was it dismissively. Kisame looked around, and anyone he made eye contact with flinched in fear.

"Heh, looks like an entire village of spineless weaklings." he muttered, "Although, their ignorance _is _annoying."

He made sure to say that last part clearly, and as a result anyone who heard immediately averted their gaze and hurried on with what they were doing. Naruto sighed, his sensei really seemed to enjoy bullying people, it could be a problem sometimes.

They left the village behind, with some of the more foolish watching them grow smaller and smaller. When they were completely gone, the returned to their work.

"It's a really simple place here." Kisame said, with a content look on his face, "Filled with a bunch of damn morons, but things are easygoing, aren't they?"

Naruto looked back at the village, just beyond view. It had seemed a pretty calm place, free of strife.

"Yeah, pretty easygoing." Naruto agreed. Kisame grinned, nodding to himself. He then paused, making Naruto stop altogether.

"There's something I need to take care of." he said, looking at Naruto, "Why don't you stick around, get some practice with Eko-kun?"

"Uh… sure." Naruto replied, his brow raised. Kisame nodded again, before going on ahead, leaving Naruto behind, "I wonder where he's going?"

"I dunno. Anyway, let's do as he says, we'll work on your precision."

Naruto nodded, before heading deeper into the trees, as he searched for a suitable spot to practice in. The trees weren't too thick, if he stood at the right place, he could even see that village from here, down the hill he had scaled.

He found a tree that had no others nearby. Deciding it would do, he reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. He then walked around the tree, cutting several small "x" marks into the bark. He placed them randomly in ten different places, before putting the kunai away. He then took several steps back, looking at the three marks he could see. There were two low ones, and a high one. He reached up behind him and gripped the hilt of Ekokaeten, and slowly withdrew him. The blade shone in the light, gleaming fantastically. Naruto lowered it to a ready position and took his stance, placing all his focus onto the tree. He tightened his grip on the hilt, before dashing towards the tree.

"_When not in direct combat, it is better to move past your opponent, instead of heading for him straight on. Make your attack, but don't stop. That way, you can get out of range and avoid a counterattack."_

Naruto held his katana to his side as he passed, making sure just the very tip struck the bark. He ran straight to the next tree, a few metres away, and kicked of it to keep from losing speed. He then lashed at the next mark, before spinning around and cutting a second that he had already passed, before running out of range with his eye still on the defending tree. He ran up one of its brethren, and attacked from above, dropping down and slashing two marks in one move. He stopped there, deciding to check his current progress. He walked over to the tree and studied the marks closely.

"You're cutting randomly again. You gotta aim it."

"Yeah, it's not easy to aim and run at the same time." Naruto replied, with an annoyed look.

"You can do it with a shuriken, a sword's not so different. You're just getting sloppy."

"What about you, you're not even doing anything!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the sword huffily.

"I'm not doing anything 'cos you need to learn a lot on your own before you're even on my level!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Naruto demanded, bringing the blade closer, "We're supposed to be working together!"

"Which is why I'm giving you advice! Stop complaining and get better!"

"Tch." Naruto muttered, stepping back from the tree. It annoyed the hell out of him, but Eko was right, "Yeah, sorry."

"It's fine, now try again."

Naruto nodded, gripping the hilt once more.

* * * * *

Kisame walked deep into the woods, a grin slowly spreading across his lips. The further he travelled through, the darker the forest became, and the thicker the trees grew. The area had taken on a marshy quality, thick vines hung from mossy trees. There was the faint sound of birds screeching, possibly because they were stuck in the mud of this filthy place. It was far from impossible.

"That you kid?" Kisame asked, looking up to his right.

"What're you doing here old man?" called a man's voice, "This place has nothing to do with you."

"That's quite a tone you're taking." Kisame replied, facing the source of the voice, "Does the presence of your senpai terrify you that much?"

The voice didn't reply, or make any noticeable sounds. Yet, Kisame still tracked him as that person moved through the trees, his eyes focused on the _exact _spot that person was at.

"Still as sharp as ever, huh old man?"

"Old? Since when am I old?" Kisame asked, chuckling at the thought, "You are only a couple of years my junior, "kid"."

"I'll warn you, stay out of this place. You have no business here."

Kisame reached behind him, cocking a brow.

"Is that so?" he asked, gripping Samehada.

* * * * *

Naruto came to a stop, his breathing a little heavy. He walked back over to the tree again, and looked at the marks he'd left.

"Still a couple of millimetres of, but it's getting better."

"Man, how long is this going to take?" Naruto asked, hanging his head forward.

"Unfortunately, according to Kisame no Danna, not long enough."

Naruto nodded, straightening up again. He pulled out his kunai to make some new marks, this time trying not to make them too random. He tried to visualise the opponents body, and marked key points to attack. Unfortunately, due to his size, the scale of his so called "opponent" wasn't quite right, but it would do for now. Although, as he surveyed it, he couldn't help but hope he'd never have to use Ekokaeten against someone of that size. He'd probably save it for older enemies, those with more experience. Unless it was someone who really got on his nerves, then he may not be able to resist. He stood back and gripped Eko's hilt, preparing to make his attack. But it was then that he sensed something, off to his right. He didn't reveal it right away however, he instead made his first move, but feigned it, running up a tree and leaping overhead, so he landed right behind his audience.

"Ah!"

Naruto raised his brow in surprise. He wasn't sure who he'd been expecting, but this was far from it. To his great surprise, there were three children sitting in the grass before him. They looked like five or six year olds, two boys and a girl. They each wore different coloured tunics, a sky blue, a viridian green and a fuchsia. They all looked up at him fearfully, eying his katana with scared expressions.

"We're sorry mister!" said one of the boys, a fair haired one with tanned skin. He was the one who wore the blue tunic, and by the looks of things, he was quite the little adventurer.

"We only wanted to watch!" said the other boy, a dark haired one with pale skin. His tunic was the viridian, and he seemed to be a more quiet type, judging by how he hung back, trying to make the most distance.

"Please don't hurt us!" cried the girl. She too had dark hair, fair skin and pair of large brown eyes that shone tearfully. Of course, hers was the fuchsia, and she appeared to be the youngest.

"Huh? Hurt you?" Naruto repeated, returning Ekokaeten to his sheath, "Why would I do that?"

The three kids looked up at him uncertainly, but when he smiled warmly, they seemed to relax. The fair haired child, apparently the leader, stepped forward with an eager look on his face.

"We saw you come through our village, and we followed you through here!" he said excitedly, "Hey, are you a samurai or something?"

"Ah samurai?" Naruto repeated, laughing. He then jabbed his chest with his thumb, "Nah, I'm a ninja!"

"A ninja?" the children breathed simultaneously. They all looked up at Naruto in awe, before the fair haired kid spoke up again, "Show us something!"

"Yeah!"

"We don't have time for this. Ditch these guys, will ya?"

Naruto ignored Eko's comment, walking past the children back to his original spot. The children followed eagerly, sitting cross legged as they awaited Naruto's tricks. He stood before them, liking the attention a little too much.

"All right then, what to show you?" he said, rubbing his chin dramatically, "I know, how about…"

The children watched with anticipation as Naruto formed a hand seal. He then furrowed his brow, before he was engulfed in a puff of smoke.

"Whoa!" rang out three little voices. When the smoke dissipated, Naruto was nowhere to be seen. In his place was an exact duplicate of the fair haired boy, blue tunic and everything. The children all got to their feet and ran over to him, checking him out from all angles. The original stood in front of the copy, looking up and down in amazement.

"Is that me?" he asked, before placing his hands on his hips, "I look pretty good, don't I?"

Naruto started laughing, the loss of concentration breaking the Henge and reverting him to his normal self. The children gasped in awe as this happened, each of them staring up at Naruto.

"Me next! Me next!" the little girl cried, jumping up and down. Naruto grinned, placing a hand on her head.

"Sorry, but I haven't mastered that level of cute yet!" he said, making the little girl's face redden and the two boys laugh, "Although… I do have something else…"

"Show us! Show us!"

Naruto grinned, he could certainly get used to this. He rolled his shoulders and rotated his neck, again, simply for dramatic effect. He then formed a hand sign, and concentrated once again.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. The three children all squealed in surprise as they were suddenly lifted into the air by three other Naruto's and placed on the fakes shoulders. Then they all started yelling and howling as the Naruto's went for a run. Along the trees.

"WOOOW!!!" yelled the fair haired child.

"HAAAAH!!!" howled the brown haired boy.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!!!" screamed the little girl, as she clung onto the Naruto's neck. The real Naruto watched them, grinning broadly. He remembered the time when tricks like that had such an effect, it was about the time he'd decided he wanted to become a ninja as well.

A few moments later, the Naruto's returned to ground level and let the children down, each of them falling on their rears. The copies disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the children dazed and dizzy. Naruto laughed again as they got to their feet, stumbling slightly in the attempt. When they'd finally centred themselves again, they cheered loudly.

"That was awesome!" the fair haired kid yelled. The other two jumped in the air, sounding their agreement. As Naruto watched them, he found himself unable to remove the grin from his face. But then the brown haired boy stopped jumping, his expression of shock.

"Hey, what time is it?" he asked, looking to the other two.

"Oh yeah, we gotta get home!" the fair haired boy replied, with an equal look of surprise. The three of them hurried off, but before they disappeared, they waved back, "See you later… uh…"

"Naruto!" Naruto called, waving at them, "Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Bye Naruto!"

"Bye Naruto!"

"Bye!"

Naruto laughed again, he also remembered being late for a lot of stuff as well. He shook his head and turned around, heading back towards the tree.

"Now that you're done screwing around, you wanna get back to training?"

Naruto sighed, but kept his smile. Eko could be a real drag sometimes. But he was right, he needed to get back to work. He reached behind him and pulled out the katana, and gripped it again.

* * * * *

"That's quite some work you've done there."

Naruto whipped his head around. Kisame was walking over to him, surveying the tree with interest, there were now dozens of cuts across the bark, coming from all angles and directions. The shadows of the thin scores were accented by the setting sun, making them appear wider than they really were.

"Looks like your aim has certainly improved." Kisame added, as he placed a hand on the bark, "Not bad."

Naruto nodded, lowering Eko to his side. His arm was aching a little, but he had kept going, pretty much non stop since those three disappeared. As such, he was in need of a rest. He replaced Eko in his sheath, before lightly shaking his arm off. Kisame looked at him, grinning.

"You put a little too much force in it though." he said, taking a few steps toward Naruto, "With this kind of attack, you don't have to hit hard, you just have to make contact an let the blade do the cutting for you."

"Ok Kisame-sensei, I'll keep that in mind." Naruto replied, smiling. Kisame cocked a brow, Naruto seemed to be in a rather pleasant mood. He didn't ask however, instead he just headed off, with Naruto close behind.

They returned to the road and headed away from the village, continuing on their way. Eko was silent once more, maybe he was resting, Naruto had often wondered about that. After all, aside from the odd bit of blunt force trauma, what could a sword really go through that would require rest?

He decided not to dwell on it. Whatever the reason, if Eko was silent, it was because he wanted to be, and Naruto didn't have an issue with that.

Although, come to think of it, this situation had come strangely easily to Naruto. The initial surprise of being able to communicate with a mystical katana had worn off pretty quickly. It was odd, almost like such things _should _be simple to get used to. Then again, he supposed there were a lot of peculiar things in this world. Zetsu and Kisame, for example. And Deva, he was in a league of his own.

"_We're about halfway through our training." _Naruto thought, _"Have I changed enough for what Deva-san has in mind for me?"_

"Well would you look at that." Kisame said, turning around with a smirk. Naruto raised his brow, before glancing back. His eyes widened on horror.

Plumes of smoke poured into the sky, as several fires broke out in the village. Now that he had noticed it, he could hear the faint sound of people crying, and could see tiny specks fleeing amidst the waves of orange. Two in particular stood out, they didn't appear to be in any hurry, "Looks like we avoided an annoyance."

"Oh no!" Naruto cried, as he suddenly broke into a run. Kisame watched him as he flew to the village, a grin spreading across his lips.

"What a fool." he muttered, shaking his head.

Naruto pounded down the road, the trees flying past as he moved as fast as he could down the hill towards the village. As he got closer, the cries grew louder, and he could see the villagers fleeing in terror from the two dark figures that stood in the middle of the chaos. Naruto couldn't make out anything noticeable about them, the haze from the fire was obscuring his vision. But they weren't so blinded as to miss the person heading straight for them. They both maintained their confidence as they turned to face him. Naruto reached the village, the heat from the burning roofs was immense, and the air was getting hard to breathe. But he could definitely manage, he _would _manage. Forming a hand seal, he readied for his attack.

"Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. All along the rooftops, where the fires hadn't reached, and in the doorways. The entire area surrounding the two figures was filled with Naruto's, all of them facing the two. Now that he was close enough, he could make the figure out.

One wore a dark cloak, although it appeared more like a rag by the shredded edges. He wore a headpiece, just like Kisame's, with a metal spike jutting from the top. The other one wore a pale brown tunic, with brown camouflage style shirt and pants underneath. His headpiece bore two spikes on either side. Apart from that, they were both very similar. They both had long, dark and messy hair, both wore oxygen masks and both wore what looked like a metal gauntlet on their hands.

They both surveyed the dozens of Naruto's, looking completely unimpressed by the incredible feat. They instead clasped their hands, the sound of metal hitting metal ringing dully. But then the air was filled with another sound as they pulled their hands away, revealing a long, spiked chain connecting the two. They took a few steps apart from each other, allowing the chain to extend further. Naruto reached up for Eko, as did the others. Each and every Naruto drew their katana, preparing themselves for the opponents move. The two dark figures surveyed the Naruto's closely, their eyes moving at the same pace.

"Priority: locate original." they said simultaneously. Naruto was a little taken aback by their unison, but it wasn't enough to throw him. However, he was surprised when the two of them burst into water, which fell to the ground with a splash.

"_Kisame-sensei used something like this, the Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu." _Naruto thought, after getting over his surprise, _"Did they use a replacement as well?"_

His eyes widened as he suddenly spotted them again. They appeared by the group of clones to the left, one running in front and the other running behind. That sheer speed, none of the clones could react in time! In a moment, they were all wrapped up in the spiked chain. Then, after a harsh tug from both of the figures, all ten disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Target not verified." they said, again in unison, before disappearing again. But this time, the Naruto's weren't going to just stand around. They got into formation, standing in groups of five as they scanned the area for signs of the enemy.

The fires burned all around, the buildings were beginning to crumble under the pressure. Most of the villagers had fled into the forests, all Naruto could see were the clones of himself. The sun had set behind them, now it was dusk. But the blazes all around obscured that fact, but at least there was visibility.

Naruto whipped his head around as two more groups were suddenly destroyed. Damn it! They needed to act quicker than this!

"Quit playing defensive an attack!"

Naruto nodded, but it was easier said than done. He couldn't even spot the enemy, let alone attack.

"_I gotta find a way!" _he thought, searching around, _"There's gotta be something!"_

"God you're stupid! If they're moving fast, move fast yourself!"

Naruto blinked, that made sense. He nodded, then he and all the remaining clones split up, running through the village at top speed. At least this way bought him some time. It would take longer for them to find the original this way.

"So you got any ideas?" Naruto asked, as he took a left turning.

"You're the guy with all the equipment, you figure something out!"

Damn, why was it so hard for him to figure all this out? And then it hit him. This was his first real fight. He was in his first actual battle with enemy Shinobi! The thought gave him a sudden drive, and he quickly came up with a plan.

"I got it!" he said, "But I'll need a distraction!"

"Don't bother telling me that!"

Naruto ignore that last comment and made a hand sign. He summoned an additional five clones around him, each of which ran off in different directions.

"Target verified."

Naruto whipped his head around just as the two Shinobi ran past him, the chain almost striking him. At the last second, he raised Ekokaeten, and the blade hit the chains causing them to jolt. Naruto used this brief moment to duck underneath the chains and escape them. But the enemies' reactions were incredible, they managed to lock back onto him immediately, and the chase begun.

Naruto peeled around the corner, narrowly dodging a burning timber collapsing on top of him. He ran down the street with Ekokaeten held back. The Shinobi with the single horn grabbed the wall of the corner building and swung his other arm around, his partner using the momentum to rush forward without losing speed. They chased Naruto towards a junction, and were drawing ever closer. However, just as their quarry reached that point, he dropped a smoke pellet, the thick purple cloud immediately filling the air. The two enemy came to a stop, they knew better than to run into blindness. It was a wise decision, because if they had been any closer, they would have been unable to dodge the volley of shuriken that burst through the smoke and flew towards them. As it was, they had enough time to react. The single spiked one threw his right arm, the gauntlet wielding one, to the left, and the dual spiked one leapt high in that direction, pulling the former into the air with him. The shuriken all flew past uselessly, but now the enemy were airborne, and Naruto had his chance.

The enemy Shinobies' eyes widened in shock as kunai were thrown at them. They managed to dodge, but the explosive tags ignited and stunned them momentarily, allowing one of the clones to leap between them and stab downward with his katana. The blade went through a gap in the chains, and the momentum of the explosions had forced the enemy to plummet to the ground. The clone kept his grip on his katana until the moment of impact, where he used all his weight to drive his katana as far into the ground as possible. The enemy had recovered in time to land, but not to stop this from happening. They pulled on their chains in a futile attempt to break free, just as all the Naruto clones converged on their positions.

But just as it looked like it was all over, the two enemy tensed their hands and the chain connecting them broke off. They leapt up to the building tops, one on either side of the street. Then they held their hands in a seal, the tiger.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!" they cried. The puddles on the ground then grew into copies of the two enemy. They jumped up to their reverse counterparts, so there were now two pairs of opponents. They clasped their hands again, and new chains were formed, "Mission priority: eliminate all ene- GAH!"

Even their cries were simultaneous. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as the water clones dispersed and the originals collapsed onto the ground. It wasn't he, or any of his clones for that matter, who had made any move. So what had happened? But in just a moment, Naruto got his answer.

A figure had appeared in the middle of the street. Naruto couldn't tell if the person was male or female, because of the strange mask worn by that very person. However, the person had long black hair which was tied in front of him or her and in a bun at the back. The person also wore a dark grey kimono, the thickness of which gave no answer to the gender question. However, one thing was for sure. Those markings on the mask was definitely the symbol of a Kirigakure nin.

"I apologise for interrupting this fight." the person said, with a voice that suggested nothing regarding gender as well, "These two are Kiri missing-nin. As a hunter-nin, it is my mission to take them out and destroy their bodies."

Naruto stared at the newcomer in surprise. Was that really true? He had never heard of such a thing, but then it didn't really matter. There was just one question in his mind.

"What do you think we should do?" he asked, in a quiet voice.

"Well, she did take those guys out. If she was an enemy, she probably wouldn't have bothered."

That made sense. Naruto nodded slowly, as he thought about it himself.

"Uh, sure ok." Naruto replied dumbly. The person nodded appreciatively, before jumping up to one of the buildings and grabbing the first Shinobi, before gathering the second as well. The person nodded in thanks once more, before disappearing completely, _"That was weird."_

"DUCK!"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as a massive wall of water suddenly burst from the forest. He rolled behind one of the buildings just in time, the wave passing over and dousing the flames. Naruto got to his feet, looking around nervously for his attacker.

"Damn it Kisame no Danna!"

Naruto looked at Eko in surprise. So that was Kisame? Well, that was a relief at least. He put Eko back in the sheath, and walked out into the now dripping wet street. It looked like all the fires had been put out, now the only light came from the dusk behind him. He walked through the sodden village, faint wisps of smoke rising from the mostly ruined buildings. He looked around, there were no signs of the villagers, they must still have been in hiding. The only person he could see was Kisame, who stood waiting for him at the top of the hill. He grinned and ran to catch up with him, feeling ecstatic after having his first fight, despite the peculiar outcome. He reached Kisame, who clapped him on the head. The two of them then walked off, leaving the village behind.

Down in the trees, once silence prevailed, the villagers began to stir. They had been stunned by the sudden rush of water, and had taken several moments to recuperate. By the time they had recovered, the two Shinobi were gone. But they still watched the spot where they had left, looks of shock and awe on their faces.

"That boy!" called one of the villagers, "He saved us!"

"Who was he?" asked another. From behind the knees of the villagers, three young children broke out, staring up to the hill in awe and glee.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" cried out the fair haired boy.


	9. The cost of something precious

Hopefully this is of a better quality than the last chapter. Like I said, I'm not used to using side stories like this, sub plots and stuff. Usually it's just the plot, and heading straight for it. Guess I'm broadening my horizons or something. Ah well, any theories you have as to what happens in this chapter would be interesting to hear, you'll know what I mean when you read it. You know the drill, let me know what you think. I don't hold my stories hostage for reviews or anything, but getting them is a great motivator.

Disclaimer: Damn it, I was sure today was Thursday. I've been looking out for the new manga chapter all day, even sneaking onto the internet at college.

* * *

**The cost of something precious**

"We should probably start heading back to Ame soon." Kisame muttered, as he lifted his bowl to his lips.

"Huh? Already?" Naruto asked, his voice muffled by the ramen it was filled with. He swallowed hard, clearing his throat, "But we still got a few days left before we need to go back."

Kisame tipped his bowl further back as he drained the contents. When he was finished, he placed it down and gestured for another. They were in a small restaurant in a small village. Dark wood made up the place, the floors walls and even the countertops. Blue veils covered the entrance, and allowed some cool shade to exist. This village was more industrialised than the place they had been a couple of days ago, it sort of resembled Konoha in a way. Though that was understandable, they were in the Land of Fire after all.

"Yeah, but there's somewhere we need to be before we head back, and it's on the way, so we'll head over in a little while." he said, as the waiter, a bald man in an apron, replaced the bowl with a full one.

"Is this to do with my training?" Naruto asked, as he absent mindedly stirred his chopsticks in the soup of his meal.

"Yeah." Kisame replied, as he dipped his spoon in his new soup, "You remember I gave you that piece of paper, and told you to channel your chakra into it?"

Naruto blinked as he thought back. It had been roughly at the start of the training trip, but it had been such a momentary thing, he hadn't given it much thought.

"Yeah, you said it meant I'm an Udon type or something, right?" he asked, looking into his bowl, "Though I don't really know what that means, I'm more of a ramen type."

Kisame almost snickered, but restrained himself, sticking to a grin. He jabbed the spoon into his mouth and chewed on the pieces of ham, carrot and whatever else was in there.

"It's Futon idiot."

"Yeah, Futon. Wind release." Kisame agreed, as he swallowed his mouthful, "It's a good style to have if you're learning Kenjutsu, it pretty much opens up a whole new world to the art of sword fighting."

"Really?" Naruto asked, raising his brow as he raised his bowl, "Then how come we've not been practicing it?"

"Simple, I don't know jack about Futon nature." Kisame replied, with a shrug, "I only use Suiton, maybe a bit of Doton, but I don't bother with anything else. That's why we're heading out. I know a guy who's pretty good with his Futon, we'll see if he can give you some pointers."

"Ok." Naruto replied, as he tipped the contents of his bowl into his mouth. Needless to say, they were both pretty relaxed today. Kisame had sprung for an inn for the first time in a while, and they'd both benefited from it. However, the cost seemed to be more than money. Neither of them were feeling particularly motivated to do anything. They had pretty much just spent the whole morning leaving the inn and coming here, where they'd been the last hour or so. Luckily they both had mammoth appetites, so no one was complaining, least of all the owner of the place. Kisame raised his glass, gesturing for fresh drinks. The owner called out to someone to take care of that.

"Here you go guys!" said a young woman brightly. Naruto tries to hide his surprise, she was very pretty. Her long black hair fell down her back, and her pink floral kimono was very form fitting. She had fair skin, and very nice looking brown eyes. Naruto had to make an effort to draw himself away, he didn't want to get caught staring, "So you two travelling?"

Kisame ignored her question, but Naruto used it as an excuse to look up at her again.

"Yeah, we're on a training trip!" he replied, smiling. The woman, although she may have just been a girl, raised her brow in surprise.

"Wow, you're ninja?" she asked, before smiling again, "Well, good luck!"

Naruto faltered as she left, taken aback by her sudden departure. Kisame grinned to himself, as the owner came over again.

"Would either of you care for a refill?" he asked, his plain expression revealing none of his greed. Kisame replied by nodding towards the girl.

"What's her deal?" he asked, "She's about the only chipper person in this place."

"Oh, she's new." the owner replied, "Just signed up for part-time a day or two ago. She's pretty good though, no one's been complaining."

Kisame nodded slowly, before he drained the contents of his glass and put it down on the table. He then reached into his cloak and pulled out a small wad of cash, placing it in front of the owner.

"Get him another bowl." he said, jerking his head towards Naruto, before looking at the boy himself, "I'm gonna go get some supplies. Stick around, I won't be long."

"Uh, sure thing Kisame-sensei." Naruto replied, as Kisame lifted himself off the barstool and left. Naruto watched as he wandered off, even his movements were slow. That was probably the last inn they'd be staying at. He turned back to the counter just as the owner placed a fresh bowl of ramen in front of him. He nodded in thanks, then the girl returned to take Kisame's dishes away.

"So he is your sensei?" she asked casually, as she placed the bowl and glass on a tray. Naruto nodded up at her, glad she was back.

"Yeah, for the past few weeks anyway." he replied, with a small smile.

"Oh, I see." the girl said, returning the smile, "So you haven't known him long?"

"Nah, we pretty much just met and went straight to it."

"Really?" the girl asked, leaning on the counter, "Is he precious to you?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked, blinking in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"You know, is he someone that you'd want to protect?" the girl replied, "They say when you fight to protect someone precious to you, you become so much stronger."

"Is that true?" Naruto asked, with a surprised look. He thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head, "No, I don't really have anyone like that?"

"No one?" the girl asked, smiling faintly as she rested her chin on her hand, "There isn't anyone?"

Naruto paused as he thought about it some more. He couldn't think of anyone who qualified. Zetsu? Deva? Kisame? Konan? Eko? But then he remembered something.

"Well… not yet…" he said, his smile warming a little, "But… I am looking for others… like me."

"Others?" the girl asked, with a look of surprise, "What do you mean?"

Naruto looked up at the girl, then down at his bowl with uncertainty. The girl smiled again, and he felt the courage to reply.

"Well… I'm a little different." he said, in a quiet voice. The girl blinked, lowering her hand from her face back to the counter. Her expression suddenly turned to understanding.

"Some people are afraid of different." she said, as she looked into Naruto's eyes. Naruto returned her gaze, from the sound of her voice, it seemed like she understood that. He gave a small nod, he definitely understood that. Suddenly, the girl straightened up, smiling.

"Hey, my shift's almost over." she said, picking up her tray, "Why don't you stick around? We could hang out for a little while."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he felt his cheeks redden. He quickly nodded, so the girl wouldn't look at his blushing face.

"Sure thing… uh…" he said, his words trailing off. The girl smiled sweetly at him.

"Haku." she said, before walking away.

* * * * *

On the other side of the five nations, rain fell heavily in Amegakure. The last few days had been pretty calm, and so almost to make up for it, there was a thunderstorm. A harsh wind blew throughout. Drenching the upper levels of the village, but due to the force of the storm, the levels below were kept relatively dry.

It was all very childish really.

Pein stood in the mouth of the statue, holding in his hands a book. He studied it closely, a faint smile on his usually still lips. Behind him, Konan watched, surprised at both acts her partner was committing to. Neither of them were what you would call "common", however much an understatement that may be.

"Is there a reason for this storm?" she asked, wondering why he would be doing something so immature. It was beyond even saying it was unlike him.

"This is not my work." Pein replied, without removing his eyes from the page, "You should know me better than that."

Konan blinked, looking away. It had been so long since a natural storm hit Ame, could she be blamed for interpreting it as something else? She decided not to ask however, and instead gazed at the book in Pein's hand.

"What is that?" she asked, with growing curiosity. Pein generally wasn't the type to read. He lifted the book and showed it to her, to which her brow raised in surprise.

"Kakuzu-san has discovered something _very _interesting." Pein replied.

* * * * *

"Thanks for waiting." Haku said, as she left through the back door.

"No problem." Naruto replied, with his hands behind his back. Haku walked off into the trees, gesturing for Naruto to follow her, which he did.

They didn't go far, just to the very first tree at the edge of the village. Haku turned around and rested her back against it, smiling warmly at Naruto, who was glad the collar of his cloak obscured most of his face.

"The guy told us you were new there." he said, making an attempt at conversation, "You on vacation or something?"

"Not really." Haku replied, "It was just something I needed to do."

Naruto raised his brow, expecting more from her answer. But nothing else was offered, so he dropped it, "Hey, is that a sword?"

Naruto glanced behind him. He'd almost forgotten about Eko, though that wasn't hard to do due to his position meaning most of the time he didn't see him.

"Yeah, it's my katana." he replied, grinning.

"Hey, less of the "my katana"."

"Well, I guess he's my partner really." Naruto added, to make up for his words. Eko didn't seem to have a problem with that, at least, he didn't complain.

"He?" Haku repeated, with a confused look, "You call your katana a "he"?"

"Well, he is alive after all." Naruto replied, earning a strange look from Haku, "His name is Ekokaeten. He's one of the seven swords."

"Idiot!"

"Seven swords?" Haku repeated with a frown, "You mean from the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist?"

"You know about them?" Naruto asked, with a look of surprise. He then broke out into a broad grin, looking proud of himself, "Yeah, he was supposed to go to some other guy, Sabisa or something, but he didn't want him."

Haku continued to frown at him, but then blinked and smiled.

"Can I see i- him?" she asked, innocently. Naruto stared at her for a moment, she was pretty cute.

"Uh, sure." he replied, as he undid the straps on his chest. He then pulled the sheath around and held it out for Haku to see. She took a step closer, looking at it in slight awe.

"He's very beautiful." she said, tilting her head to the left. She then smiled warmly, "Although, he'd probably prefer me to call him "handsome", huh?"

Naruto grinned, and took note of the fact that Eko was being unusually silent. And was it just his imagination, or did the sheath feel a little warm?

Haku reached up for the hilt, holding it delicately.

"Careful." Naruto warned, not wanting her to hurt herself. Haku gave him a slight look of surprise, before smiling again and withdrawing the katana masterfully. In an instant, the edge was against Naruto's neck.

"Don't worry, I always am." Haku replied. Her brow then creased in confusion as her arm moved of its own accord, and moved the word from Naruto's neck to hers, "What- what's going on?!"

"Eko!" Naruto yelled, grabbing the hilt from Haku's hand, "Sorry, guess he got nervous."

Haku stared incredulously as Naruto replaced Ekokaeten back into his sheath, and strapped it back onto his back. Naruto then looked at Haku apologetically.

"You didn't get cut did you?" he asked, looking at her slender neck. He quickly returned his gaze to her face as he felt his ears become hot. Haku stared for a moment longer, before relaxing.

"No, but what was that?" she asked, with a strong curiosity, "How did that happen?"

"I don't really know." Naruto replied, subconsciously touching the sheath, "Kisame-sensei said the seven swords work with their wielders, so I guess there's some level of control between the two."

"Wielder?" Haku repeated, with another frown. But it soon subsided, and she seemed to relax, "Looks like you've got your work cut out for you."

"Yeah, it's not easy." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head, "But one day, I'm gonna be the greatest ninja that ever lived!"

Haku laughed a his enthusiasm. She smiled warmly at him as he laughed as well.

"Hey, kid!"

Naruto looked back to the street, where Kisame was standing waiting for him. He turned to tell Haku he needed to go, but she seemed to already realise that.

"Well, maybe I'll be hearing stories about you." she said. Naruto grinned, before giving a thumbs up.

"Yeah, just listen out for the name "Uzumaki Naruto"!" he replied, a she backed off from Haku. He waved, right before running to catch up with Kisame. Haku watched as they disappeared, allowed one more smile, and then disappeared into the trees.

Naruto and Kisame walked towards the villages exit. But for some reason, despite what Kisame had said earlier, they didn't seem to be in any hurry. They seemed to be dawdling in fact. Naruto looked up at Kisame questioningly. His brow raised in surprise as he realised his sensei's eyes, they were bloodshot and tired looking. He also seemed to be moving sluggishly, dragging his feet just a little.

"Are you ok, Kisame-sensei?" Naruto asked with a look of concern. But Kisame grinned at him, like everything was fine.

"This is no problem." he replied, "In fact, I think things will be better this way."

Naruto blinked, that was a strange answer. What did he mean, "better this way"? but Kisame didn't seem to feel like offering any more of an explanation, they just continued on their way.

* * * * *

Deep in the forests, where the sun barely broke through, four figures gathered among the branches. The leaves rustled around them, drowning out any sounds that might be made. Under these conditions, given the figures' covered mouths, no one spying would be bale to make anything out. One of the four, a person in a Kiri hunter-nin's mask, stepped forward, having just arrived.

"They are heading west." said the sexless voice, "I did as you asked."

"Good." replied a second, dark skinned figure, who sat on a branch with his bare back against the tree. All that he wore on his upper torso was a leather strap, with a buckle on the centre of his chest that led around both sides of his neck and down his left waist. On his arms, he wore camouflaged arm protectors, with matching leg counterparts. He had on a pair of pale blue, pinstriped slacks, which the shadows darkened and greyed. Most of his face was obscured by bandages, leaving only his eyes and brow visible. He wore a Kirigakure headband with the metal plate on the left side of his head, the tie hanging down his shoulder. Just to his right, the reason for the leather strap became obvious. He held beside him a giant sword which greatly resembled a butcher knife. It had a circle cut near the tip, and a half circle on the edge near the bottom. The small fragments of sunlight scattered across this man and his blade, obscuring his features all the more.

"But there's something you should know." the hunter-nin said, "Uzumaki Naruto possesses a blade. He called it "Ekokaeten"."

The dark skinned man leant forward, his brow creasing as he gave the hunter-nin a hard stare.

"Ekokaeten?" he repeated, with a distant look in his eyes, "In that case… let's get moving, we'll deal with this personally."

"What would you have us do?" asked one of the other figures, the cloaked Shinobi with the spiked headband.

"Do as you like, you won't be needed in this." the man replied, getting to his feet, "Come on, let's go."

The hunter-nin nodded, and they both disappeared.

* * * * *

Naruto and Kisame ascended a winding road, climbing a rather steep hill. The it was just past midday, and the sun shone over the village they had left, giving it a peaceful, yet lively glow. They were about a mile gone now, but from the height they had reached they could still faintly see the colours of the rooftops back there, the reds, the blues and the greens.

The hill they were on didn't have many trees, the path wasn't naturally made by years of footsteps, it had been crafted carefully, and so it was more like a road than a path. Their pace hadn't been great. Naruto didn't said anything, but Kisame was moving slower than usual, and was even more tired looking now. But it looked like whatever was going on, it was getting worse. His eyes were constantly watering, and he was forced to rub them on several occasions. He was steadily growing more and more annoyed with his condition, which was the main reason Naruto said nothing. But it had been over two hours since they left, and they'd only made about a miles progress, so things weren't looking too good.

And then, as if to make the situation worse, a mist seemed to be setting in. Kisame however, seemed to think of the mist as anything but a problem.

"Finally." he muttered, "They took their damn time."

"Huh? What's going on?" Naruto asked. Kisame grinned, nodding ahead.

"Kirigakure no Jutsu." he replied, as they both came to a stop. He then called out, "Enough of the dramatic effect, can we get on with this?"

He suddenly whipped out the Samehada, just in time to block and attack from the second biggest blade Naruto had ever seen. A figure had appeared before them, a tall, dark skinned man with bandages over his mouth. He stared Kisame down, their blades pressed against each other.

"I'm finishing this." the newcomer said, pushing forward. Kisame's grin broadened, and he gave a shove with Samehada, forcing the enemy back several feet.

"Now now Zabuza-kun, you could never finish anything!" he said, as he held his weapon back, "You couldn't even take out that measly Mizukage!"

"Wait, this guy's Zabuza?" Naruto asked in shock. He felt Eko's contempt, it was a strong pulse of hatred. He gripped the hilt and withdrew it, readying himself for a fight.

Suddenly, Eko took control and forced Naruto to spin around, before raising the katana to block three tiny projectiles. They sparked off the blade, before snapping and falling uselessly to the ground. Naruto glanced down at them, senbon? He looked back up as someone else emerged from the mist, the figure taking him by surprise.

"You're-!" he exclaimed, as he recognised the hunter-nin from before. That person stood facing Naruto, with senbon gripped between his or her fingers. But… what was this person doing here? Hadn't the mission of capturing those two from before been completed? And why was he or she with Zabuza? It didn't make any sense.

"Snap out of it!"

Naruto blinked, collecting himself. He then readied himself, and ran to the hunter-nin, not wasting any time. But for some reason, his opponent didn't even flinch as Naruto neared him, or make any such movement.

"I don't like this, use a swift attack!"

Naruto nodded, and aimed to pass the opponent rather than attack head on. His brow was creased in concentration, something was definitely not right. Either this person was very confident, or it was a fake. Either way, slowing down or stopping would only leave him open for attack. He had no choice but to continue.

He reached the opponent and ran straight past, slashing with Eko as he passed. His blade passed straight through with absolutely no resistance.

"_So that's what it was." _Naruto thought, as the hunter-nin dispersed into water, _"A Mizu Bunshin!"_

He whipped around, just in time to block senbon once again. Just like before, the hunter-nin stood still, awaiting Naruto's move.

"_What're you doing?" _Naruto thought, as he gripped Eko's hilt, _"Are you trying to distract me? Or just tire me out?"_

"I don't like this…"

Naruto's eyes widened as more Mizu Bunshins appeared. They came straight from mid air, or rather, they came from the mist. There were now six of them, surrounding Naruto in a semi-circle. They all raised their hands, senbon at the ready.

"Damn it! Naruto, let me take the lead!"

Naruto complied, letting his body go to Eko. The six Mizu Bunshins reached back and threw the senbon at him, eighteen flying needles darting at him at an incredible speed. But Eko countered the attack in a way Naruto couldn't even comprehend. He watched as Eko had him spin on the spot, and listened as the blade struck every single senbon. But Eko didn't stop there, he had Naruto make a full rotation and swing out again. Miraculously, Eko sent the senbon straight back to the Bunshins, stabbing them all and forcing them to disperse into water.

"Whoa." Naruto breathed. He barely saw what happened, but what he did make out… how was that possible?

Kisame and Zabuza both watched in interest, without taking their attentions from each other. Kisame grinned, while Zabuza frowned.

"What just happened?" he demanded, looking at Kisame.

"Maybe if you weren't so determined to wield an intimidating blade, you would know." was Kisame's only reply. Although the bandages hid it, Zabuza bared his teeth, before he returned his attention to Naruto.

"That's enough Zabuza-san, thank you."

"Whatever, you're on your own from here on out." Zabuza replied, as the real hunter-nin walked in from behind him, "Show him what you can do, Haku."

"Haku?!" Naruto exclaimed, sure he had misheard. Haku? Was that what he said? It couldn't be!

"I thought there was something weird about her. She did an awfully good job handling me."

The hunter nin walked towards Naruto, reaching up and casting aside the mask. It was true. It was Haku. Naruto stared in shock, the pretty girl from before, she was a ninja? It was almost too hard to believe, what was going on?

"I had a funny feeling she was your subordinate." Kisame said, "Those two from before were working for you as well, weren't they?"

Zabuza smirked, as he glanced at Haku.

"You're correct, for the most part." he replied, watching Haku's face, "Except Haku isn't a she."

Naruto blanked. Haku was a… he?

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Kisame roared, leaning on Samehada for support. He looked up at Naruto, his eyes streaming for other reasons, "Naruto-kun, you have my blessing, ha ha ha ha!"

"He and Zabuza were the only ones to find amusement in the situation, although Zabuza didn't show it. Haku continued to walk forward, ignoring Kisame's laughter as he faced Naruto, who was still looking dazed.

"You're a… you're a…" he stammered, his eyes out of focus.

"Hey idiot, pay attention!"

Naruto blinked, coming back again. He shook his head, and stared incredulously at Haku.

"What are you doing here?!" he asked, with a look of understandable shock, "I thought you were a-"

"I am whatever Zabuza-san needs me to be." Haku interrupted. Kisame's laughter had subsided, and he nodded.

"After all, it was an easy opportunity to poison me." he said, before looking at Zabuza, "But seriously, you could have used a sedative, whatever this stuff is, it's irritating."

"Same as always." Zabuza muttered, "You knew you were being poisoned all along, didn't you?"

"Of course, but if giving you a handicap would mean this battle lasts longer, I would gladly accept it." Kisame replied, as he raised Samehada, "If I was at full strength, this would be no fun."

Zabuza lifted his sword and rested it on his shoulder. He and Kisame stared each other down, both waiting patiently. Then, suddenly, they both disappeared. But Naruto barely noticed, he kept his attention on Haku.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, "I don't wanna fight you!"

"It's like I said, when you fight for someone precious to you, you become stronger." Haku replied, as he raised a senbon and held it like a kunai, "I don't want to kill you. Please surrender."

Naruto gripped Eko's hilt, he didn't know what to do. Although he was still shocked to find out Haku was a boy, that didn't matter to him. It had only been a short time, but Naruto thought he had made a real friend in that time. He didn't want to fight, not like this.

But Haku seemed coldly determined. He raised his senbon and ran at Naruto.

"If you won't surrender, then I have no choice!"


	10. Reflection of truth

A little shorter than usual, but hopefully it will answer some of your questions. or probably leave you with more. I just created a new community this morning, anyone who's interested in joining, check out my profile for the full charter and if you still feel like it, send me a message or something. Don't really know what I'm supposed to do with communities, so if anyone could let me know a little something, that'd be great.

Disclaimer: It seems like no one is able to spot my hints, that's a little disappointing, but makes me feel pretty jammy at the same time.

* * *

**Reflection of truth**

Naruto and Haku clashed weapons, the senbon in his hand was surprisingly strong. Strong enough to hold back a strike from a katana. The two of them pushed forward, trying to gain the advantage as metal scraped against metal. The cold chill in the air, probably due to the mist, kept both of them in a full state of awareness, and the fresh puddles around their feet revealed a second Naruto and Haku fighting on another plane. Naruto tried tilting the katana forward, so the tip angled towards Haku's head. But Haku simply raised his senbon, forcing Naruto to expose himself.

"With both your hands tied up like this, you can only take and block my attacks." Haku said, as he raised his other hand. Naruto's brow shot up in surprise as Haku started running through a series of one handed seals. He didn't even know that was possible, just what level was this guy on?! "Sensatsu Suisho!"

The water from the puddles reacted violently, as if a rock had been dropped into each of them. Water burst into the air, where Naruto was shocked to see it maintained, before separating and forming into what looked like elongated raindrops… or…

"_Shit!" _Naruto thought, a she quickly channelled chakra into his feet. Haku leapt back just as a thousand water senbon flew at Naruto, from almost every angle, except above. Naruto was fortunate to realise that in time to leap up into the air and avoid being impaled. Haku slid back across the ground, looking up in surprise as he saw Naruto flying overhead, the hilt of Ekokaeten gripped in his teeth.

"Ka-e Hun-hin ho Hu-hu!" came his muffled call, as he summoned four copies around him. The five Naruto's then landed on the ground, before splitting up and surrounding Haku, who whipped his head around with a startled glare. The five Naruto's held their katana at the ready, before charging at Haku, intending to overwhelm him.

"Idiot." Haku muttered, as he ran through the same series of hand seals again. Once more, the water gathered into a thousand senbon, but this time they originated close to Haku, and shot outward. With none of them expecting that, every Naruto was struck by the barrage. But every Naruto also disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Haku on his own.

Haku looked around, his brow creasing in concentration. He couldn't believe Naruto had got the drop on him, but he hadn't been expecting his opponent to be able to summon so many clones and still manage to hide without notice.

Haku's eyes widened in shock as a kunai flew past him, barely missing his head. He fixed his eyes on the spot it had come from, which was why he failed to notice until the lest moment, when Naruto ran past him. He had a kunai, no, the same kunai, gripped in his hands. At the same moment Haku spotted him, a second Naruto, the one who threw the kunai in the first place, burst from cover behind a rock and ran past Haku in the other direction. Before Haku could realise what was going on, he suddenly found himself unable to move, as if he was bound. He also saw that his clothes seemed to contract around him, like he was being wrapped with incredibly thin threads.

"Razor wire!" he cursed, as the Naruto's ran around him. He was completely bound and unable to move. The fake Naruto disappeared, leaving only the original and Haku.

"It's over." Naruto said, as he held the kunai with the razor wire tied to it. He then picked up the other end and stood before Haku, "Give up."

"How long is this fight going to last before you realise I only need one hand?!" Haku demanded, looking at Naruto as if he was an idiot. As he finished his statement, he made his final seal and once more, water senbon rose into the air. Naruto whipped his head around with a startled look.

"If you do that, you'll get hit as well!" he cried. Haku's expression dropped, and he stared at Naruto stoically.

"As long as it serves Zabuza-san's purpose, it's fine." he replied, as the needles converged. Naruto leapt into the air, barely dodging the onslaught. He watched with wide eyes as the needles struck Haku as one, completely obscuring him.

"HAKU!!!" Naruto yelled, as he landed on the ground. He stared at the spot Haku had been, and froze.

Haku stood before him, untouched by his attack. The razor wire no longer affected him, and he stood impassively before Naruto. But he was different, or rather, his surroundings were different. He appeared to be standing behind a pane of glass… or…

"Is that ice?!"

It was. And not just ice, it was a wall of ice, housing Haku inside of it. How was such a thing possible? Could that really be done with chakra?

Naruto's eyes widened as the water around him shifted, not into needles, but more ice walls. They rose into the air, and further up. In a matter of moments, Naruto was surrounded by the ice, in what was almost a dome. The air grew colder, and Naruto's breath became visible before his eyes.

"Makyo Hyosho." Haku said. Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors. As he said this, several more Hakus appeared in the "mirrors", all of them staring into the centre impassively. Naruto spun around looking at them all. Where they all copies, or where they regular Bunshin? Or could it even be a Genjutsu? That would be bad, Naruto knew next to nothing of Genjutsu, he wouldn't stand a chance. Then again, if the mirrors were all connected somehow, then it could just be an effect of the Jutsu. Whatever the case, this was like nothing Naruto had ever seen before, which meant he was at a disadvantage. Haku had already seen the only useful Jutsu he had, and whatever it was that Eko managed to do with the senbon, didn't seem likely to work a second time. In short, the situation wasn't looking good.

But Naruto wasn't about to give up, he reached for his weapons pouch and whipped out a kunai, before hurling it at one of the mirrors. It flew straight towards Haku's image, but upon contact it glanced off the ice mirror without scratching it. Although that failed, Naruto hoped the explosive tag wouldn't.

_THWOOM!_

Naruto took a step back as the blast from the explosion reached a little farther than he thought it would. The flames flickered into the air, and disappeared almost instantly, leaving only the smoke behind. And once that was gone, Naruto could see the full effect of his attack.

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed. There was no way those mirrors were thick enough to resist a direct hit from an explosive tag, that one should have been completely shattered. But as it was, there was only thin cracks running across the surface. And by thin, they were barely noticeable.

"It will take a lot more than that to destroy this ice." Haku said, as the cracks disappeared, "I can repair them instantly. Now it is my move."

He raised his hand, revealing three senbon in between each finger. As he did this, the rest of the Hakus in the mirrors did the same. Then, before Naruto could even react, he was bombarded with the needles.

"GAAAAH!!!" he cried, as he felt himself become cut all over. The needles pierced his cloak, clothes and his skin, leaving thin red lines where they'd struck. He fell to his knee, gripping one of the wounds on his arm, _"How did he do that? Does he have clones in the mirrors?"_

He got to his feet, wincing as the cuts burned. He looked around, all the Hakus were motionless.

"Yeah, it has to be." Naruto muttered, "He's using clones to attack, and the mirrors mean I can't hit back!"

"Are you sure about that? I'm getting a weird feeling."

"What else can it be?" Naruto asked, "There's more than one of him, and they're all attacking at the same time, there's no other explanation!"

Eko fell silent. He didn't have an answer for that, but he was still uncertain. Naruto reached up for the hilt, and withdrew the katana. He searched the mirrors closely, as he tried to figure out a way to defeat Haku. But if an explosive tag couldn't shatter the mirror, what could?

"Fighting is pointless." Haku said, "There is no way to escape my mirrors."

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said accusingly. He reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a smoke pellet. He threw it at the ground, and almost immediately the area was filled with purple smoke, expanding in every direction. Naruto used the opportunity to make his move. He ran towards a gap in the mirrors, intending to attack from outside.

"Fool." he heard Haku say, "I don't need to see you to attack you."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as Haku suddenly appeared before him. And before he could react, he received a kick to the chest that sent him flying back into the centre. But before he hit the ground, he was hit with another barrage of needles, once again becoming cut several times over. Naruto bit through his lip as he resisted the urge to cry out, and as a result blood dripped down his chin. He was in pain, quite a bit. But he was also grinning. He'd figured it out.

"There's only one of you, isn't there?" he asked, as he wiped away the blood. The smoke dissipated, revealing things to be the same as before. Twenty-one Hakus stared at Naruto from the mirrors, impassive, but definitely staring.

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Cos when you stopped me leaving, your movements blew the smoke away." Naruto replied, "You weren't anywhere near me, but you moved quick enough to stop me. That's your Jutsu, isn't it? You can move between the mirrors at incredible speeds."

"I think you'll find that's an understatement." Haku said, as he threw senbon at Naruto once more, "I am the ultimate weapon, the perfect tool for Zabuza-san."

Naruto fell back as once again the needles ran across his skin. He landed on the ground, the pain was really bad now. Senbon were embedded in the ground all around him, light shining off their blue forms.

"_So they're ice as well." _he thought, _"Which means he can attack as often as he wants. That's not good."_

"This is getting old." Haku said, raising his hand again, "Time to finish this."

Naruto placed his hand on the ground, pushing himself up. But before he could achieve anything like that, Haku threw his senbon, the needles piercing the cloak and restricting Naruto's movements. He fell back onto the ground, struggling to get up. But Haku simply threw more senbon, and pinned the sleeves and legs of Naruto's clothes. Then, from the top mirror, he threw senbon straight down. This time the needles pierced Naruto's body sticking in hard, and painfully.

"GRAH!!!" Naruto cried out, as blood spurted from his mouth. He stared up at Haku, how could this have happened?

"_I… I can't move!" _Naruto thought, wincing in pain, _"Damn it!"_

"It's over." Haku said, as the world grew darker.

"_No! I can't die! I can't die!"_

* * * * *

"So what do we do?" Konan asked, staring at Pein with a creased brow.

"At the moment, nothing." Pein replied, stepping inside the room, "If anything happens, we'll deal with it. But we cannot act until we know for sure whether or not there is any danger at the moment."

"But if something does happen, what can we do about it?"

"If it comes down to it, I'll send someone out. It isn't a problem. In fact, it may play out to our advantage."

Pein walked to the door, leaving the room. Konan followed, she wasn't done yet.

"What's going on?" she demanded, as they walked into the hallway, "You've been acting strange lately."

Pein glanced back, blankly. Konan maintained eye contact, determined not to break her stare. Pein almost smiled.

"It's been a while since I've seen you so passionate about anything." he said, as he opened the door to the spiral staircase. Konan continued to follow him downwards, not taking her eyes of the back of his head.

"Don't change the subject." she said, "You never take chances, or settle for less. What's going on?"

Pein smirked to himself, glad his back was to Konan. Although she was generally a poor judge of character, she'd known him for so long he often wondered if it was possible to hide something from her. It wasn't something he was considering however, it was just an interesting thought.

"Do you think I am being reckless?" he asked, as they descended, "That I am taking unnecessary risks?"

Konan didn't have an answer for that. She'd never thought of Pein as reckless, she simply thought his methods were a little more unorthodox than what he would usually do.

"It's not like that." she replied, noticing her voice had quietened a little, "I've just never seen you like this. Ever."

Pein looked back at her, his smirk gone. There were many aspects of Konan that had changed over the years, but there were also plenty that remained the same. She had never let the past go, she always held it with her. He was yet to decide if it was a good thing or not.

"Do you want the honest truth?" he asked, looking ahead once more. Of course, he wasn't expecting an answer, he already knew it, "I can't say for certain, but I believe I am either incredibly content, or very depressed."

Konan's brow rose at this stunning admittance. Never once, had Pein even acknowledged that he had human feelings, he always thought himself above them. So for him to say something like that…

"What are you saying?" she asked, her eyes wide as she watched him.

"With Madara out of the picture, I can now see all the variables." Pein replied, "And to be honest, things seem so simple, it's a little disappointing."

Konan frowned at him, he was disappointed?

"However, everything is clear to me now. My eyes can see everything, everywhere, everyplace and every how. I think I feel more enlightened than ever."

He smiled to himself, his dead eyes were alive with a fire kindled by rain. Konan could feel the change in him, the slightest difference in his stance. But if she could only see his face…

"I have every advantage." he said, "Failure isn't a possibility, it doesn't even exist in the equation. I have already succeeded."

He almost wanted to laugh. This feeling… it was something he had never experienced before. It was like he was standing in a thin corridor, with his destiny chained to both walls. He was so close, he could reach out with his hands, and tear it open.

"I wonder… if I even need Akatsuki anymore…"

* * * * *

The absolute darkness seemed to falter, shades of grey appearing in the centre of sight. The grey then expanded, and other colours began to break through. Brown, orange, yellow, like a room lit by candles. Then vision began to sway, as if the room itself was stirring. But that wasn't quite the case.

"_Huh? Where am I?"_

"Naruto! Are you alright?!"

Naruto blinked in confusion, his vision clearing. When everything came into view, he realised that he did not know this place, wherever it was. A dark room, with wooden floors and ceiling. Blue walls were greyed by the candles that offered the room little light, but enough to see what was going on. In the left corner of the room, Ekokaeten was laid against the wall, next to Naruto's torn cloak. As soon as he figured out that he was parted with these two, he looked around, his eyes widening in shock.

Four figures stood on either side of him. He couldn't see their faces, they all wore masks. And Naruto could see that the two on his right bore the exact same tattoo on their shoulder, which kind of reminded Naruto of the wind, or maybe fire.

All four of them wore the same uniform, black and grey armour. But there was nothing to tell him who they were, or where they were from. But he did know one thing. They all held blades around his neck. The two behind him held theirs so they crossed before Naruto's throat, while the two next to him crossed behind. While the blades weren't physically touching him, it was obvious that he would be unable to escape without getting his head removed. It looked like he had been placed in a kneeling position, with his hands tied behind his back. There was nothing he could do, he was trapped. But that wasn't going to keep him from talking.

"What the hell am I doing here, and who are you guys?!" he demanded, whipping his head towards each of them. However, not even one of them seemed to acknowledge that he had spoken, and remained like statues, "Hey! I'm talking to you guys!"

But then the door at the end of the room opened, and his attention was diverted. From the darkness of the hallway beyond, and elderly man stepped out. He walked with a cane, and appeared to be severely wounded, as most of his head and right eye was covered in bandages, and his right arm was kept inside his robes. As he came closer, Naruto also noticed a cross scar on his chin, just how messed up was this guy?! Well, whoever he was, he must have been in a position of power, as the four Shinobi around him were down on their knees, without letting up with the swords.

"Danzo-sama, this is Uzumaki Naruto." said the person on Naruto's left. He suddenly felt Danzo's eye upon him, as he was studied under a piercing gaze. It made him a little uncomfortable, but there was nothing he could do about it, was there?

Danzo walked towards him, until he stood directly before Naruto. He then handed his cane to the Shinobi on the right, before he reached out and grabbed Naruto by the hair.

"Ah!" Naruto groaned, as his head was pulled back, "Let go!"

But Danzo ignored him, as he studied the five lines on Naruto's forehead. He continued to stare for several moments, without the slightest change in expression.

"An Amegakure missing-nin?" he muttered, "How very interesting."

He released his grip, and Naruto lowered his head, grinding his teeth in anger. What was going on, why was he being held captive here?

"Where am I?" he demanded, glaring at Danzo. His look had absolutely no effect, he was met with an emotionless stare.

"Konohagakure." Danzo replied. Naruto tensed, his mouth hanging open. Konoha? He was back in Konoha?! How the hell did he get here?!

"What's going on?!" he demanded, his eyes wide, "Why am I here?!"

"To become our weapon." Danzo replied, "We will make you our tool, and you will fight for my cause."

This time Naruto froze completely. He couldn't even see Danzo anymore, he couldn't focus on him. His vision came and went, he was being blinded by total shock. Zetsu, and Pein, they had both been right all along.

"_The villages like to use people like you as weapons."_

"_They were both murdered by Konoha Shinobi."_

"You bastard." Naruto growled, "You think people are just weapons, to be used whenever you want?!"

"That is exactly what people are." Danzo replied, stunning Naruto further, "A human who does not make himself useful to his people is worthless. A Shinobi who refuses to fight as ordered doesn't deserve to live."

"How can you say that?!" Naruto yelled, as he tried to get to his feet. But the four Shinobi around him shortened the gap between their blades and his throat, forcing him back to the ground. Danzo looked up at the Shinobi behind Naruto on his left.

"Remove his forehead protector." he ordered. The Shinobi immediately complied, untying the knot and holding the headband out for Danzo, who picked it up, "Amegakure… I wonder…"

He tossed the headband aside, the metal reflecting the light of the candles. He then reached inside his robes and pulled out a piece of paper. Naruto bared his teeth as the paper was placed on his forehead. Then his eyes widened in shock as he felt something pulse through him.

"_I… can't move!" _he thought, as he desperately tried. Danzo studied him for a moment longer, before he took his cane and left the room, three of the Shinobi following him. One stayed behind however, to close Naruto's eyes, before heading out as well. Now the blackness was absolute, and Naruto was left with his brow raised and his mouth hanging open, looking like someone who was caught mid-sneeze, _"What do I do? How do I get out of here?!"_

"Sorry Naruto, but over here, there's nothing I can do."

Naruto swallowed, it looked like his internal organs were still working. But his lungs seemed to be restricted, he could only take short, shallow breaths. It seemed like his skeletal structure had been caught in a deadlock, but the rest of his body was fine.

"It's alright Eko-kun, we'll get out of here somehow." he replied, finding that he was able to talk. The shock of losing his ability to move had calmed him down, and he was able to think clearly, "Somehow…"

"Don't worry about it."

Naruto wanted to nod in reply. In fact, he really wanted to nod, just to be able to move in some way. But it looked like he didn't have that option. He was left as he was, an orange statue in a dark room.


	11. Out of the woods

Well, I managed to learn something interesting. Writers block lasts only a few minutes with me. Guess my overactive imagination is worth something huh? Now if I could only stop imaging Alma from F.E.A.R coming out of the shadows everywhere I go, I might be able to say life's pretty sweet. Ah well, we all got our demons huh? It's just that mine actually look like demons and are always just out the corner of my eye. A lot of people online say they're insane, although it seems more like ADHD to me. my psychology teacher keeps giving me strange looks, so you decide which kind of crazy is genuine.

Disclaimer: I'm not crazy, I'm a sociopath in training.

* * *

**Out of the woods**

The enduring darkness surrounded the blind eyes, offering its illusion of emptiness all around. But the sounds of nothing contradicted the deception, and built a wall of dominance around the timid mind. The effects of this were diluted by the touch of empty air, which soothingly caressed the numb hands of the ignorant child.

Time and space, mere memories of forgotten days, existed ironically in this eternal expanse. The irony being that those were the only things there, even though there was no awareness to acknowledge them. Time went on forever, despite no one being there to measure it. And space filled the constricting area, though there was nothing to occupy it. It was maddening, the stifling coolness and the encumbering weightlessness.

Naruto remained in his trapped state, unable to open his eyes or move. His entire body was immobile, because of the seal placed on his forehead. His bound hands were trapped in an outstretched manner, unable to even touch each other. He really hadn't the faintest idea how long he had been there, he slipped in and out of consciousness. The silence and darkness meant he was never sure if he was actually awake, or if he was asleep. In either case, he experienced the same thing. The only thing he could do in the silence was think.

Konoha had kept him in a life of animosity, treating him like an animal on display. He was made to believe that where he lived was where he was meant to be, even though everyone around him only saw him as a sight, but not wanting to get close enough in case he attacked. But it was the intention of the handlers to tame him, so that he would attack who they wanted him to. Why? Why was it that he had the Kyubi sealed within him? And why was it that everyone either saw him as a monster, or a weapon?

"_Will it ever change?" _he thought, even the sound of his thoughts seemed distant, _"Can I ever be seen as anything other than the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi?"_

It was a question he couldn't find the answer to. And he knew of no one who could give him an answer. Not even Zetsu would be able to help him on this, after all, he was a Shinobi too.

"_Is this what it means to be a Shinobi? That no matter what I do, I'm a weapon for a higher cause?"_

It was a terrifying, and depressing thought. That all his efforts were only making him more of what he hated being. But… if this is what it meant to be a Shinobi, then this is what every Shinobi went through. Then it wasn't just him alone, was it? It was just that he always knew this pain, and everyone else just learned it later. Then… what did that make him? If he knew something instinctually that everyone else needed time to learn, did that mean he was enlightened?

"_Heh, I sound like Deva-san."_

Deva had said he hadn't wanted to use Naruto like a weapon, but he had also admitted that that was his original intention. Then that meant that the only thing which had changed was that he had found another use for Naruto, right? In that case, didn't that just make him a different kind of weapon?

"_That's it. Once I get out of here, I live only for myself. Only my goals matter, I won't work completely for someone else's benefit."_

That thought actually seemed to centre him. He had an easier time remaining calm now that he had made that decision. That was good, he needed to keep his mind clear if he was going to make it through this.

"_Deva-san wants to recruit the Jinchuriki. I want to find them, and…"_

Naruto was then hit with a shocking thought. What would he do once he found the Jinchuriki? Befriend them? Rescue them from their villages? Why? That didn't make any sense. It had been so easy for Naruto to leave, couldn't they do the same if they were held in the same contempt as he had been?

"_And… then what? Even if I find the Jinchuriki, what would I do then? What _could_ I do then?"_

Naruto groaned loudly, glad that he could at least make sound himself. It was all he could do to keep himself aware.

"Hey Naruto, how you holding up?"

"Ah holding, ut it isn't easy." Naruto replied, his clenched teeth muffling his voice.

"Well just keep steady, all right? They're not gonna hold us in here forever. They'll have to take that seal off sooner or later, then you'll have your chance."

Naruto tried to nod, but of course he couldn't. If he could just open his eyes, why couldn't he do that? His skeletal structure seemed to be the target, was it because the seal was so close to them? That was likely, since he couldn't move the muscles on his forehead either.

"Yeah, I just ho-" he began.

"Sh! I hear someone coming!"

Naruto tensed as he too heard the footsteps from outside. It had been the first sign of life in a long time, aside from Eko's words just recently. He focused on the sound, praying it wouldn't fade away. But it didn't, in fact, it seemed to be getting closer. His heart skilled a beat as he heard the door open, but didn't allow himself to become too enthused. He needed to prepare himself, this was the moment he was going to escape. He waited impatiently as the footsteps grew ever closer, until they came to a stop in front of him. Naruto tensed his muscles, ready to leap up and attack as soon as the seal was removed. He almost flinched as he felt fingers touch his forehead, gripping the paper seal. The owner of those fingers then pulled the seal off, and Naruto made his move.

And fell flat on his face.

"Ow." Naruto grumbled, feeling the dusty wood on his face. But he relished the roughness, it felt so good.

"Your body is stiff from being kept immobile." said the voice above him, a man's, "You shouldn't try to move so much, you'll only injure yourself."

Naruto twisted his neck, trying to look at the person who had released him. His eyes widened in surprise as he found the ties on his wrists were cut, his hands no longer bound. He steadily pushed himself to a sitting position, his knees were killing him. He then glanced up again as he looked to see the man.

He had long black hair, with thick strands hanging down around his eyes. He stared down at Naruto with the impassiveness he had by now grown used to. His dark eyes looked into Naruto's blue, riding steadily as Naruto got to his feet. The man had a pair of creases on his face, just below his eyes that ran from the bridge of his nose to the middle of his cheeks. They looked like stress lines, which didn't suit his young face. But aside from these characterisations, there were two aspects of this person that Naruto was very aware of.

"Uzumaki Naruto, leader-sama has sent me to assist you."

A slashed Konoha headband, and the Akatsuki cloak.

"You're with Akatsuki?" Naruto asked, his eyes widening in surprise. The person nodded, before turning away. Naruto noticed that two sedge hats hung off his back, one slightly smaller than the other.

"Gather your things, we're leaving." he said, walking to the door. Naruto blinked, before hastily grabbing his headband from the right side of the room.

"Oh sure, grab that first!"

He then picked up Ekokaeten and his cloak, replacing them both on his back. He tied his forehead protector around, and followed the man into the hallway.

He froze as he saw the dark and gloomy passage, filled with unconscious Shinobi. Had that man really done all that?

"Hurry, more will be arriving soon." the person in question said, as he continued down the hallway. Naruto hastily followed him, making sure not to step on any of the guards lying around. At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors, which they wasted no time in passing through.

The area they walked into seemed like the epicentre of the building, it was almost cylindrical shaped. There were many walkways leading off in all directions, meeting in the middle like the web of a spider. Naruto and the other guy walked to the centre, where a railing ran around the open centre. Light came from the open ceiling, high above them. The man turned to Naruto, his eyes looking more tired than blank. He nodded upwards, and Naruto understood. They leapt up to the next walkway, making their progress to the top of the building. There seemed to be no one here, likely because they were all at their posts. There was nothing here worth guarding, and so it was left empty. Therefore the two of them managed to ascend in silence, without any interruptions.

They left the confines of the building and landed on the rooftop, a blue slated design with no other form of decoration. The man straightened up and reached behind him, pulling out the smaller sedge hat. He then handed it to Naruto, who took it with a confused look.

"Put it on." the man ordered, as he placed the other atop his head, "It won't be difficult for people to recognise us."

Naruto hesitated for a moment, before complying. The sedge hat felt a little strange on his head, the shape sort of threw his balance a little. But the way it cast over the top of his line of sight was a little cool. He could only wonder how he looked. A young boy in a sedge hat and torn crimson cloak with a katana strapped to his back. He probably looked more impressive than he really was. This guy however, from what Naruto had seen back there, he was every bit as impressive as his appearance suggested. Maybe even more so.

That person walked forward to the edge of the other side of the roof, looking back to Naruto, who quickly followed. The two of them dropped off the building, landing in the shadows of the trees below. They stepped out onto the street, their strange appearances drawing the eyes of the people in the streets. Fortunately, no one seemed to pay them much more attention, and they were allowed on their way unquestioned. The man gestured for Naruto to follow him, as they made their way through the thin crowds.

Naruto only had a vague idea of where he was, he hadn't come to this district too often. But if he recalled correctly, they weren't too far from the west exit, which was where they seemed to be going. Naruto glanced up at the man beside him, but the gaze wasn't returned.

"Hey, you sure we can trust this guy?"

It was then that the man looked, his eyes locking on Ekokaeten. Naruto felt his blade tense, which was again a peculiar experience, relying more on sensing it than seeing or feeling it. But the reason was clear, the man had noticed Eko.

"You're katana has chakra." the man stated, looking ahead again, "I assume then that it was Kisame-san who gave that to you?"

Naruto stared at the man in surprise, he knew Kisame? He looked questioningly, but was offered no elaboration.

"Uh, yeah." he replied, "How did you know?"

"…It doesn't matter." the man said, looking ahead once more. Naruto blinked, but didn't enquire further.

They walked through the fleeting crowds, everyone seemed to have a destination that wasn't where they were. Of course, Naruto was used to having that thought. As he looked around, he noticed that nothing had really changed. Of course, it had only been a few weeks, but the village had gone on. Looking around, it was almost like he had never existed here. Was it his imagination, or did everyone seem a little… happier?

He hadn't expected anyone to care, and it was unlikely anyway that he would see someone who did. But it just seemed odd, the place that had been his home all his life now seemed like a strange and alien place. The buildings were familiar, but nothing else.

"_Don't think about it." _he told himself, _"It's not worth getting worked up over."_

It was a straight shot to the west gates, the large doors were already in clear view. Up ahead was a single guard, standing to attention by the booth alongside the wall. He studied the two of them closely as they passed, but the man next to Naruto glanced up at the guard, who seemed to lose all interest in them. They walked through the gates, and Naruto left Konoha for the second and, hopefully, the last time.

* * * * *

"It looks like he's out." Pein said, as he opened his eyes. Rather than his usual place, he was instead in a chamber of sorts, filled with six strange devices, like the MRI machines found in hospitals. Five of them were closed, but the sixth one nearest the entrance was opening. The on Naruto knew as Deva sat up when the lid had fully slid back. He got to his feet and looked at Konan, who waited by the entrance, "He is on his way back."

"How did Konoha manage to get him?" Konan asked, as Pein walked to her side. He reached up and placed his hand on the wall.

"I'm sure Kisame-san will be able to give us the full details upon his return." he replied, as a hole appeared where his hand was placed. It stretched out, growing larger and larger until there was room enough for the two of them to walk through. As soon as they were out, the hole sealed itself, and it was like it was never there in the first place. Pein then turned to his right and walked off at a casual pace. Konan raised her brow in surprise, the tunnel to the tower was in the other direction.

"We're not going back up?" she asked, as she stood in place. Pein looked back at her, with his eyes half closed.

"No, I think I'll stay down here for a while." he replied, "Is there any reason you need to return?"

"No, there isn't." Konan replied, taken aback by Pein's response.

"Well come along then." Pein said, as he continued walking, "Unless you don't want to?"

Konan blinked, this was very strange thing that was happening here. But she followed regardless, wondering where this was going. They headed out from the overhang and into the sunlight breaking through the clouds. Pein had stopped the rain for this very reason, it seemed. They walked alongside the buildings, with the water to their left. Pein lazily ran his hand across the railing, as he looked out past the village.

"Is it ok for you to be out here like this?" Konan asked, feeling uneasy about the situation.

"Unless Hanzo-san walks by, there is no one who knows my face." Pein replied, without looking at her, "And this area is seldom used, it is unlikely that you will be recognised down here."

He came to a stop, leaning against the railing. Konan stopped on his right, standing beside him as he looked off into the distance. A flock of gulls flew overhead, squawking obnoxiously as they passed. A slight breeze blew through Pein's hair as rested his chin on his hand, a calm look on his face. Konan leant on the railing as well, watching her partner closely.

"Will it be soon?" she asked. Pein glanced at her, cocking a brow questioningly. She was surprised that he didn't know what she was talking about. But then again, Pein had so much on his mind that it was probably easy for certain things to slip his mind at times, "The war, I mean."

"Against Hanzo…" Pein muttered, as he realised what she meant, "A few months yet I'd say. There are still some things that need taken care of. But at the moment, I'd rather focus on the Jinchuriki. After all, the more I can convince to join, the easier that time will be, won't it?"

"You want to include the Jinchuriki in this?" Konan asked, a little bewildered, "But Naruto-san is still learning the basics, he can't even hold his own in a fight yet."

"That remains to be seen. After Kisame-san's report is given, we will decide if he is ready to face this mission alone, if not-"

"Wait a minute, you want to send him out _alone_?!" Konan asked, incredulously. Pein looked at her with a cool smile, which threw her even more.

"Of course." he replied simply, "It is the only way."

"Of course it isn't!" Konan exclaimed, "Why not send Kisame-san with him, he is the better choice for this mission after all!"

"That will only be done in the event that Naruto isn't strong enough." Pein replied, looking away again, "But the success of the mission is at stake. If Kisame-san is present, then there is a high risk of failure."

Konan continued to stare at Pein, her lips parted and her eyes wide. There was something strange, something she couldn't entirely explain. Pein wasn't acting the way he normally would, he would never take such high chances like this. He would have thought every aspect over with cold calculation, and then make a decision. But this wasn't like him, it wasn't something she had ever seen him do. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was different about him.

Like he wasn't entirely himself.

* * * * *

"So there you two are." Kisame said, as he got up from the rock he had been sitting on, "What took you so long, Itachi-san?"

Naruto glanced up at the person beside him, so his name was Itachi huh?

"There was something else I needed to take care of." Itachi replied, as he and Naruto came to a stop. They were in the forest, with the clear skies allowing all the light to cast down onto them. Itachi had led Naruto off the path a little while ago, and headed in this direction. Kisame looked down at Naruto, grinning.

"Nice hat." he said, "So you wanna explain how the hell you got beat by that kid back there?"

"I couldn't help it, he had some weird power or something, he could make walls of ice and transport between them!" Naruto hastily replied.

"Don't give me that, you have one of the seven swords!" Kisame exclaimed, with an annoyed look, "Why didn't you-"

He paused suddenly, as if he just recalled something. He then sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Right, you don't even know what Ekokaeten's power is yet." he muttered. He then looked up at Itachi, with a creased brow, "Think there's any chance of getting to that guy I was telling you about?"

"It took a day for your old acquaintance to get Naruto-san to Konoha, and he was trapped there for two days." Itachi replied, "That means there is a week until he needs to be back in Amegakure. Considering where you were before, you are already halfway there. There are a few days until you need to return."

"Yeah, you're right." Kisame agreed, nodding. He then placed his hands on his waist and looked to his right, down to the south, "So let's see… yeah, I think we got time to get there, but to learn what he needs…"

"If you're worried about time, then it isn't a problem." Itachi said. Kisame looked at him in surprise, as if he hadn't expected him to say something like that.

"You mean you're going you use…?"

"No, a Genjutsu would offer him none of the physical experience he would require. Naruto already has the means to increase the speed of his training. However, even in that case he might not have enough time."

"So then either way it won't work." Kisame muttered, with a frustrated look, "What is it?"

"The Kage Bunshin accumulate experience, and return it to the original upon cancelling the Jutsu." Itachi replied, "Therefore, Naruto-san should be able to drastically increase the speed of his training by using his Kage Bunshin at that time."

"Is that so?" Kisame asked cocking a brow, "Well isn't that useful?"

"So wait a minute, I can learn Jutsu like, really fast?" Naruto asked, looking between the two.

"Apparently." Kisame replied, as a grin spread across his lips, "Well then, it looks like we have somewhere to be. You coming Itachi-san?"

"That won't be necessary, I will see you in a week." Itachi replied, as he turned and walked away. Naruto watched with a raised brow, that guy was pretty cold. But Kisame kept his grin, he didn't seem to mind.

"Come on, let's go." he said, as he turned in the opposite direction of Itachi and began walking. Naruto followed, but kept his eyes on Itachi.

"_He kinda looks familiar…" _he thought, _"I wonder if he's related to anyone I know?"_

He shrugged it off, Itachi was from Konoha, so that was probably the case. Then there was no point dwelling on it. Instead, he turned to look where he was going, since he almost tripped on a root. He caught up with Kisame, and looked up at him.

"So who's this guy we're going to see?" he asked, pushing his sedge hat off his head and onto his shoulders.

"Someone who is very skilled with Futon Jutsu." Kisame replied, with a sly smile, "And perhaps one of the most skilled with that style in the world."

Naruto's eyes widened, he was going to get some training from someone like that?

"The best in the world?" he repeated, before grinning broadly, "ALRIGHT! When are we gonna get there? How far is it? Will I be able to learn some cool new Jutsu?"

"Shut up!" Kisame barked in annoyance, "It's about a days journey, and you probably won't learn any Jutsu for a while."

"What?!" Naruto cried, "I'm not gonna learn any Jutsu? Then why are we going?"

Kisame pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to curse.

"Because without it, you won't be bale to unlock Ekokaeten's power." he replied, with forced calmness. He then looked at Naruto pointedly, "And believe me, if you unlock that, _then _you will be strong."

Naruto stared at Kisame, Ekokaeten's power…

He suddenly had a flashback, as he recalled his fight with Haku. He remembered how the Mizu Bunshins all threw senbon at him, and Eko had taken control to attack. He did that strange move, he managed to send every senbon straight back to the Mizu Bunshins. Was that his power? Or was there more to it? Naruto would have asked, but Kisame had that strange, mysterious look in his eye. He had worn that when Naruto first asked where they were going, to which he offered no reply. He had seen it again as they reached the cave, and once more when Naruto asked about how Eko could take control like he did. It seemed like Kisame wanted to wait to reveal those answers, it was kind of annoying.

"_Still…" _Naruto thought, as he placed a hand on Eko's hilt, _"If learning how to use Futon chakra has something to do with Eko's power, then it has to be something strange, right?"_

"Dude, get your hand off me. It's weird when we're not in a fight."

"Sorry." Naruto replied, letting go. It was strange how self conscious Eko could be at times, didn't swords usually want to be held? Whenever he thought about it, which wasn't often, wasn't it usually the case that swords were to be well tended, or their "spirit" would rot? In this case, that could actually be true, which begged the question-

"Hey, am I supposed to clean Eko-san or something?" Naruto asked, glancing up at Kisame, who cocked a brow in amusement.

"What do you say Eko-kun?" he asked, "You want Naruto-kun to polish you?"

"If he even tries it, I'll take his hand."

"Ha ha!" Kisame laughed, "Yeah, I figured as much!"

"What is it?" Naruto asked, with an uneasy look.

"Out of all the seven swords, Ekokaeten is probably the most "human"." Kisame explained, with an ironic smile, "And as you've probably guessed, he seems to have a male aspect to him. Which is why he doesn't want you to do something so… _sensual_."

Naruto physically felt Eko quiver, and could sense his discomfort. If it weren't for the strange suspicion that he too was being made fun of, he would probably laugh.

"I'm gonna be straight here-"

"Interesting choice of words." Kisame butted in, with a broad grin.

"-If some-one's gon-na cle-an me, it's go-tta be a gi-rl, under-stand?"

Naruto looked out the corner of his eye, with an eyebrow raised. It had to be a girl huh? And how was he going to find a girl that would willingly clean a katana? He doubted there was a service that dealt with talking swords. And besides, after what Kisame said about the process of cleaning swords, he wasn't sure if the subject was or wasn't perverse.

"Isn't that kinda like prostitution?" Naruto asked, with a questioning look. Kisame stopped right there, and leant against the nearest tree as his shoulders began shaking with laughter. He noticed that Eko was steadily growing warmer on his back, and there was a sense of embarrassment coming from the katana.

"A hooker for a katana!" Kisame cried, between laughs, "Eko-kun wants a hand job!"

"Kisame no Danna!"

But Kisame ignored Eko's plea, he was too caught up in whatever image was cropping up in his mind. Starting to get the joke, Naruto's lips slowly spread into a smile, and he did his best not to laugh. But it was a futile effort, and soon he was in the same position as his sensei on the opposite tree.

"Come on! Shut up! …I FREAKING HATE YOU GUYS!!!"


	12. Weight of the wind

Feels like things are finally picking up, the last few chapters just didn't feel right. I recently came to a decision, to mesh the plan I had for another story intot his, to add another plot in with it. I'll try to keep from making it too complicated, but it should at the very least give me more chances for interesting twists. To some people, this will mean more. To two in fact, and you both know who you are. Anyone else, let me know what you're thinking, this is another new concept for me. Hell, I'm experimenting a lot with this story.

Disclaimer: I wonder what Madara will do with Sasuke now that he has met his purpose of conversing with the kages. I know he said about the Gedo Mazo, but after that defeat I wonder if he'll go ahead with that plan?

**

* * *

**

**Weight of the wind**

Naruto and Kisame ascended a steep hill, their eyes fixed on the summit above. The trees thinned out as they climbed higher, until it was just grassland around them. The sun shone behind them, keeping their view clear. There wasn't much of a breeze, and the sky was clear. Because of that, Naruto let his sedge hat hang down over his shoulders. Kisame, however, kept his on, probably for the shade.

Naruto's gaze sharpened as he began to notice something just over the apex of the hill. It looked like whatever was up there had walls surrounding it, like a border around their destination. The walls were white, with red-slates along the top. As they neared them, he also noticed an opening directly ahead of them, like a large, round hole in the wall. Through it, he could see another building inside, although not very clearly. But once the path sloped back to flat ground, he was able to get a better view, especially once they were inside.

As he looked around, he realised the place actually looked pretty feudal. The building before them had the same blue slated roofs, and was supported by wooden columns and of course, the wooden walls. The front doors were sliders, with thick paper allowing a little light through to the other side. However, because of the roofs overhang, the door and the patio was kept in shade.

To their left was a fairly short tree whose branches stretched far, holding back the light from a wide area. And on the right side was what looked like a straw target, and beside it a wooden training dummy. Just around the corner, behind the tree, there was what looked like a wooden well. There was a rope hammered into the ground by a sort of wooden post. The other end of the rope was cast into the well, where a little girl was looking in curiously. She had raven hair, tied back behind her with only a couple of tin strands on either side of her temple. Her big brown eye stared down into the well, as if waiting for something to happen. She looked like she was four years old, at least by Naruto's best guess. As he and Kisame stepped further in, the girl looked up and spotted them.

"Hello!" she called, as she ran around to meet them. She wore a pale red kimono, and beamed up at them with the joy any child her age could easily find, "My name's Aiko! What're your names?"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, smiling down at the girl, who looked up at him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Naruto blinked at her, she seemed transfixed on something.

"You look just like a kitty!" Aiko said, happily. She then wasted no time running towards him and wrapping her arms around his leg.

"Wha-?!" Naruto cried out in surprise, as the girl began climbing up his clothes, grabbing his arm and pulling herself up so she sat on his shoulder. She placed a hand on his head for balance, and smiled down at him. Naruto blinked in confusion, this girl was a little strange, but definitely cute.

"Aiko, who's out there?" called a woman's voice.

"Brace yourself." Kisame muttered, as a grin spread across his lips.

"We're out here mommy!" Aiko called, waving to the house. A faint silhouette appeared through the paper, and the door slid open. A woman stepped out, tall and… kinda strange looking.

She had long, red hair, which was braided and hung over her shoulders and down her chest. She had a slightly tanned complexion, and a pair of sharp blue eyes. She also had a pair of the most outrageous eyebrows Naruto had ever seen. They were long and thick, tailing off to her temples. The way they sat, it made her look like an angry wolf or something. She also had a small scar, running from the bottom of her left cheek down to just the side of her chin. Overall, she looked very stern, and like Deva, she had a pretty strong presence. She wore a fading blue tunic, with bandages wrapped around her right thigh and foreleg. She had more on her left knee and elbow, with her entire right arm covered as well. She stood barefoot, with her hands placed on her hips. She cast one look at Kisame and rolled her eyes.

"You again?" she said clearly, with no signs of even caring about manners. She jerked her thumb at the well, before turning back towards the house, "You know the drill, Aiko, get down from there!"

"Ok mommy!" Aiko replied, dropping down from Naruto's shoulder. She then hurriedly followed her mother back into the house.

"Come on." the woman said, looking back at Naruto. He blinked again, before complying. He stepped over the patio and into their home, just as he heard Kisame's voice.

"Suiton: Bakusui Shoha!"

He then heard a noise that sounded mysteriously like retching. Deciding it was best to ignore, he continued to follow the woman into her home. The inside was as plainly decorated as the outside, pale green walls with thin wooden borders running along the lower half, and more slide doors on either side. The hallway cornered to the left up ahead, with another door opposite the front. The woman glanced back at Naruto, with her hands on her hips.

"Don't bother." she said, as he began taking his sandals off.

"Oh, ok." Naruto replied, as he straightened up again. The woman turned around and looked fully at him, studying closely.

"So what's your name?" she asked, folding her arms.

"Oh! I know mommy!" Aiko said excitedly, tugging at her mother's tunic, "It's Uzumaki Naruto!"

The woman smiled down at her daughter, who beamed back up at her. She then looked back at Naruto, the smile completely gone.

"Call me Naomi." the woman said, "So why'd Kisame bring you here?"

"Uh, I'm not really sure." Naruto replied, "I think it has something to do with Futon Jutsu-"

"That's right." Kisame said, as he appeared behind Naruto. He wiped his mouth with his hand as he fixed his eyes on Naomi's, "I want you to teach him how to use Futon chakra."

"Futon chakra?" Naomi repeated with a frown, "Something like that'd take years to do."

"Sorry, we got three days." Kisame replied, holding that many fingers up.

"Are you even being serious?!" Naomi asked, narrowing her eyes, "No way is three days long enough! He'd need about three years!"

"Yeah, I figured as much." Kisame replied, as he placed his hands on his waist, "However, my partner made me aware of something interesting . See, Naruto-kun here uses that Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, so he can-"

"Yeah yeah, I already know about that!" Naomi said, waving the statement away, "The Kage Bunshin gather the experience they gain and return it to the user."

She then looked down at Naruto with a frown, which was hard to make out since it always looked like she was frowning.

"Still, the fact that he can even use that Jutsu is pretty impressive." she muttered, "But even if he can summon four Kage Bunshin, that would only cut the time by a quarter. I'd still need about nine or ten months. And that's even if he could manage that many."

"Last I saw, he summoned a hundred." Kisame said, as he leant on Naruto's head. Naomi gave him an alarmed look, before setting her eyes on Naruto.

"That's not even possible!" she exclaimed. Aiko looked between the grownups, confused and a little scared from her mother's reaction. Kisame's grin broadened as he looked over Naruto's head. He seemed pleased by Naomi's reaction.

"It is." he said, his eyes narrowing with his grin, "Especially for a Jinchuriki."

Naomi gasped, her eyes widening in shock. She stared down at Naruto with a look of almost horror, but not quite. Naruto found the look strange, it was a strong reaction, but not a fearful one. It seemed more like it was the last thing in the world she had been expecting, something she was certain would never happen. Naruto couldn't help but wonder why she would react like that.

"You mean…" she breathed, looking back up at Kisame, "_The Kyubi_?!"

"The very same." Kisame nodded. He straightened up and pushed back his sedge hat, "So what will you do, Naomi-chan?"

As Akio stared up at Kisame in awe, her mother breathed deeply. She looked down at Naruto again and forced calmness upon herself. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, she was centred once more.

"So you've got the Kyubi no Yoko huh?" she asked, looking down at Naruto, "That's some bad luck you got there."

Naruto's brow raised in surprise, it was the first time anyone had put it like _that_. He grinned broadly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." he replied. Naomi gave a small smirk, before looking down to Aiko.

"Why don't you go outside sweetie, I've got some work to do." she said, with a soft smile.

"But you said we could go down to the village today!" Aiko replied, with a distressed look. Naomi crouched down to look her daughter in the eye.

"I know I did, but these two have important things to do, so they need my help now." she said, "I promise I'll take you down soon though, ok?"

Aiko still didn't seem happy with that. She folded her arms and stared almost pleadingly into her mothers eyes. Naruto looked between the two, his brow raised and his lips parted. He looked between the two, neither of them were happy with the situation. It looked to him that Aiko really wanted to go down, but didn't want to cause trouble for her mother. And Naomi didn't want to let her daughter down, it looked like breaking promises was something she'd had to do before.

"You know, _I_ could take her down." Kisame offered, with an uncomfortable look. Naomi looked at him with what was almost a glare.

"Yeah, like I'd even consider that." she said, as she put her arm around her daughter's shoulder. They looked at each other again, and Naomi pulled Aiko into a hug.

"I'll do it." Naruto said, earning surprised looks from both Kisame and Naomi.

"Have you forgotten why we came here?" Kisame asked, with a tired look, "Don't make offers you can't uphold idiot."

"No, I can do it." Naruto replied, as he formed a hand sign, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Aiko gasped in surprise as a second Naruto appeared next to the original.

"Look mommy, two kitties!" she cried, as she broke away from her mother's grip and ran to the two blondes. Naomi frowned at Naruto, as if unable to comprehend him.

"You'd use your Jutsu like that?" she asked, as she straightened up.

"Well, yeah." Naruto replied, as if the thought was obvious, "If it can help, why wouldn't I?"

Naomi watched him closely, with a look of uncertainty on her face. She glanced up at Kisame, her brow furrowing further.

"They'll be fine." Kisame said, as he straightened up, "Knowing Naruto-kun, he won't let anything happen to her even if you don't ask it of him."

Naomi took a step back, placing a hand on her hip and looking the copy of Naruto up and down. Finally, she let out a sigh.

"Fine, but I'm warning you." she said, averting her gaze, "You better live up to what Kisame just said."

"You can count on me!" the copy said, giving a smiling salute. Aiko cheered and climbed up onto the copies shoulders, this time with the assistance of her temporary guardian. He turned around and headed out, with Aiko waving back.

"See you later mommy!" she called, with a happy smile. Naomi returned the smile, for as long as Naruto and Kisame weren't looking. But when the copy Naruto closed the front door, it slipped off again.

"Fine, let's see what we got to work with here." she sighed, as she opened the door to her right. Naruto made to follow her, but she promptly closed it behind her. Kisame leant against the wall, grinning down at him.

"Don't mind her, she's not really a people's person." he said, "Hell, she hates my guts, just because I'm from Kirigakure."

"Huh? Why is that?" Naruto asked, looking up with a raised brow. Kisame shrugged, scratching his nose.

"Eh, it's my brother's fault." he said. Before Naruto could even look surprised, the door opened up again and Naomi stepped back into the hallway with a small piece of paper in her hand. Kisame eyed it curiously, before returning his gaze to Naomi, "We already did that, I told you, he's Futon type."

"There's more to this than just finding what type he is." Naomi replied, with a look of annoyance, "You can also find out how strong the affinity is. I need to see that."

She handed the paper over to Naruto, who took it between his fingers like Kisame had instructed him the first time. He raised the paper to his face, and looked at Naomi as he waited for her signal. She gave him a curt nod, which he returned before channelling his chakra into the paper.

It didn't take long. Soon, a long thin cut spread through the paper, leaving it in two symmetrical pieces. Naomi took the two pieces in each hand and held them before her eyes, staring at them with scrutiny. After a few moments, she lowered her hands and nodded.

"It's not perfect, but it's above average." she said, with no signs of being impressed by that fact, "You've got a lot of chakra, but it's unruly. That could cause you some problems."

She walked around Naruto and opened the front door, stepping outside. The two Shinobi followed her out into her garden, where she took a look around. Down the hill, the clone could be seen running to the village about a half mile ahead, with Aiko waving her hand sin the air at the speed they were moving. Naomi stepped outside the border and stood on the path of grass to her left. She looked around some more, before coming to a decision.

"How many Kage Bunshin can you summon?" she asked, looking back at Naruto, "A hundred?"

"That's the most I've tried." Naruto replied, as he stood before her. She nodded, and looked ahead again.

"Do it." she said, "Even with that many, we don't have enough time. But you can earn enough experience to continue the training on your own. After that, you'll need to come back so I can teach you the next step. Or find someone else, I don't really give a damn."

Naruto nodded, and formed his hand sign. He creased his brow with effort, and from it came a massive puff of smoke that enveloped the entire area, house included. When the smoke dissipated, more Naruto's than could be counted stood literally everywhere. Grass, path, roof, walls, all were occupied by Kage Bunshins. Naomi looked around them all, hiding the fact that she was impressed masterfully. She then turned to face the descent, looking at the trees below.

"Each of you grab a leaf." she said, before putting on a warning tone, "And don't even think about touching the tree in there, got it?"

The clones and the original nodded in unison, before hurrying off to the trees down below. They reached up and plucked leaves from the branches, before running back up to Naomi with questioning looks. If not for her strength of will, she would have been nervous about the hundred identical faces. But it didn't even cross her mind, she just looked at them all sternly.

"All right, first thing you need to know about nature manipulation." she said, in a loud and clear voice, "It's the instinctual manner about how you gather your chakra. Although you may not understand it yourselves, it's in there somewhere in your genetic code. All you have to do is find it, and figure it out."

The hundred and one Naruto's all stared up at Naomi with creased brows. They were understanding so far, which was a good sign.

"Futon chakra is just like a blade." Naomi continued, "It needs to be made as thin as possible, without losing any of its strength. Turn your chakra into a blade. Watch closely."

She held both her hand in front of her, the palms facing each other in horizontal positions. Her left hand faced the ground, while the right one looked up at the sky. She kept them with just a few inches of air in between, and kept her focus on both of them. She then slowly drew her hands apart, and Naruto visibly saw the air move in the space between. She then snapped her hands back into position and repeated the movement, the air rippling even more. She continued the process, steadily moving faster and fast, her fringe billowing slightly from the wind generated. What Naruto now saw was a small and contained vortex, though it was almost flattened. Naomi's hands were beginning to lose visibility as they moved at tremendous speeds, and the grass beneath her feet started bending away from her by the strength of her move.

But then something else happened. In the midst of the vortex, a different form appeared. It seemed like the wind in her hands was taking on a new shape from the pressure. Naruto could now see two thin lines barely a centimetre apart from each other. It was like the wind was taking visual form, he could actually see it. It looked like two winds blowing in different directions, parallel, but opposites. The two winds rubbed against each other, and the force seemed to cause them to become stronger, and much more violent. Then, as it reached its epitome, Naomi released it. The clones all held their hand to their eyes as dust and dirt was blasted in their faces, even the ones further back were treated to the small gust. Naomi stood with her braids blown behind her, untouched by the gale. She looked at the all the clones in a way that emphasised what she had just done.

"You all saw what happened there." she said, "Replicate it, but with just your chakra, no hand movements. Your goal is to cut your leaf in half. And it's gotta be a clean cut, so focus."

She then locked eyes with the original Naruto, which greatly surprised him. How had she managed to pick him out of the lot?

"Every ten minutes, disperse the Kage Bunshin and reflect on what you learned." she said, "Take as long as you can handle, but don't slack off. There isn't much time."

With that, she turned around and headed back to her home. The Naruto's all looked down to the leafs in their hands and placed their other hand on top of it. They then all began to focus, as they kept the image of that vortex in their minds.

Naomi walked into her garden, where Kisame was waiting for her with his back against the wall. He straightened up as she passed, and followed her to the well.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked who he is." he said, as Naomi began pulling the rope out of the well.

"Should I care?" she asked, without looking up, "Why is it every time you come here, you always want something?"

"You want me to drop in for a chat every now and then?" Kisame asked back, before barking a laugh, "Are you really that lonely up here?"

Naomi shot Kisame a glare that would cause most to quiver, but it glanced straight off the swordsman. She looked back into the well as she pulled the bucket at the end of the rope out. She then handed it to Kisame, who took it and followed her back into her house.

"Your lucky I don't turn you in to Konoha or something." Naomi said, as she opened her front door.

"Are you kidding, I'd love it if you did that!" Kisame replied with a broad grin, "I haven't been surrounded by enemies in a long time!"

"Bastard." Naomi muttered, as she walked into her kitchen. Like the rest of the place, it was fairly feudal looking. Wooden counters and a metal stove with a chimney that led outside. Of course, it wasn't coal that ran the stove. Kisame eyed the base of the appliance with a raised eyebrow.

"What a waste of chakra." he muttered, earning another sharp look from Naomi. He shook his head and sighed as she emptied the water into the basin, which served as her sink. She then opened the cupboard underneath and ducked in. A flicker of orange light appeared and she came back out, closing the door. The water in the basin soon began to form tiny bubbles at the bottom as the water heated up. Naomi straightened herself, and glanced at Kisame from the corner of her eye.

"So why are you taking on the Kyubi Jinchuriki as an apprentice?" she asked, with an accusing look, "You don't plan on giving him _that_, do you?"

"The Ekokaeten?" Kisame asked, with a curious frown. He then shrugged, "Couldn't if I wanted to, since he already possesses it."

"What?!" Naomi exclaimed, turning on the spot, "So that blade was-"

"The one and only."

"Goddamn it Kisame!" Naomi yelled, "Why would you even consider such a thing?!"

"What can I say? Kid's got spunk." Kisame replied, as he scratched his nose again, "That and I didn't exactly want it to go to waste."

"You fool!" Naomi growled, "You know that sword's cursed!"

Kisame just grinned again, a knowing look on his face. Naomi glared, before passing him and storming off. Outside, Naruto opened his hand just a crack, peeking inside at the leaf. It lay completely unchanged, as if all he'd been doing is holding it.

"_Damn this is hard!" _he thought, as he tried again.

* * * * *

As the morning sun rose and shone through his window, he sat at his desk, wrapping the bandages around his arms. Ever since graduating the Academy, he always made sure to be fully awake for sunrise. It was the one pleasure he allowed himself, before his duties began.

The way the world looks when shrouded in darkness, how it appears so small and enclosed. It was like a reflection of his own life. But then when the sun appeared, and bestowed its light upon the village, the world suddenly seemed a lot larger, more open. To him, it was hope. But as soon as the birds sang, he quelled this thought, and turned his back on the sun, as he headed out to meet with his team.

"_Hope is a pleasant thing to experience." _he thought, _"But it is unrealistic, unreasonable. It will always fall under the weight of destiny."_


	13. Curse of the blade

Ah, I got hit with a shitload of spyware and stuff a couple of days ago, so my dad had to format the whole computer. That slowed progress a lot, which is why this release is a little later than usual. But I made up for it by also making it longer. Also, just so you know, I can handle criticism, if that's holding you back from commenting. I wanna make this better, and if you can advise me how, that's be great.

Disclaimer: Everything looks bloody wierd now that I'm back to the default Internet Explorer.

* * *

**Curse of the blade**

Naruto opened his eyes, blinking at the sun breaking through the leaves. He had slept outside, Naomi hadn't offered them a room. He lay on the bough of a tree, probably not the best of decisions considering his tendency to roll over. He had been fortunate this time however, and managed to keep from a sudden awakening. He sat up, the sky was as clear as ever, and the birds were making their presence known. But it was neither of these that had woken Naruto.

"Get a move on." Naomi called, from below. She stood with her hands on her hips and that permanent frown on her face, "I'm gonna personally oversee you today, so I know you're not slacking off."

She waited as Naruto blinked stupidly. He then lifted his leg over to the other side of the bough and dropped off, landing not so neatly on the ground. He had only just woken up after all. He straightened himself and looked up at Naomi, who turned and led him to the grassy patch from before. She picked a leaf off the ground and handed it to him.

"Let me see what you got so far." she said, returning her hand to her hip. Naruto nodded, although he didn't really know what he would be capable of this time of morning. He gave it a try anyway, and placed one hand over the one holding the leaf. He then closed his eyes and concentrated, moulding and manipulating his chakra. He gathered it in his hands, held it in the space between, and steadily forced it to move, feeling it fluctuate in his hands.

Naomi watched him closely, the look of complete focus in his eyes was interesting, but she had nothing to say of it. She could sense his chakra, so far he hadn't made any screw ups yet. However, she was fairly certain he would soon.

It needs to be thinner than that." she said, her eyes returning to his hands. He didn't reply, but she could sense the change in the chakra, "Yeah, that's right."

Naruto decided to try thinning his chakra out, to use up less room. He found he could move the chakra faster that way, and keep it nice and thin.

"Attaboy, now you're getting the hang of it." Naomi said, nodding approvingly. Her words caused Naruto to grin broadly, which took her off guard a little. It was obvious he was happy that she thought he was doing a good job, she just hadn't expected him to show it so strongly, "Let's see what you got."

Naruto nodded, and his chakra faded away. He slowly lifted his hand, revealing the leaf to have a partial cut in it, maybe about a quarter of the total length. He seemed disappointed by this, but Naomi certainly wasn't. she picked the leaf out of his hand and inspected it closely, before dropping it on the ground.

"Looks like those Kage Bunshin really do help." she said, "It took me about a month to do just that."

"Really?" Naruto asked, with a surprised look. After her little demonstration yesterday, he had been sure that she was a genius or something. There was no doubt in his mind that the vortex she had created was capable of so much more than her demonstration had revealed.

"Yeah, it was harder cos it wasn't my natural affinity." she replied, "I took on more than I could handle and tried learning two natures at the same time."

Naruto's brow raised at the thought. It had taken so much effort just to do what he did, and this was his affinity. It must have been incredibly difficult for Naomi.

"It's weird, but you don't seem like a ninja." he said, "How come you're not in a village or something?"

Naomi's expression hardened, which took Naruto by surprise. He hadn't even realised that it had been anything less than that from the start.

"Just keep going." Naomi said, folding her arms, "Summon your Kage Bunshin, I want to see that leaf at least three quarters cut by sundown."

Naruto gaped, she wanted him to do _how much_?! What he'd just done there took all the power he could bring, and she wanted him to be able to twice that as well? He didn't argue however, and formed his hand sign. In seconds, a hundred clones were gathering leaves, before beginning their training.

Kisame watched from afar, leaning against the entrance to the garden. He had a grin on his face, and meat pierce through a stick in his hand. He pushed the stick into his mouth and absent mindedly chewed as he watched the Naruto's work.

"Heh, looks like he's trying to take a shit or something." he muttered, the stick bobbing in time of his speech. Naomi sensed his presence and glanced back at him, but soon returned her gaze to Naruto. But it wasn't long before it wandered again, slowly moving from his hands, to his arms, his shoulders, his neck and finally, that which lay behind him. She fixed her eyes on Ekokaeten, glaring at the blade as if it was yelling profanities at her.

"Crap, you don't think she heard that do you?"

Naruto did his best to ignore Eko, it certainly wasn't going to help if he started laughing right now, it could hurt his training, or Naomi might hurt _him_, he wouldn't put it past her. It was definitely safer this way.

"Why did you accept that?" Naomi asked, her eyes locked on the katana's hilt. Naruto blinked, looking up at Naomi questioningly, before realising what she was referring to.

"Huh? Eko-kun?" Naruto asked back, glancing behind him, "What do you mean?"

Naomi sighed, an annoyed look on her face. Naruto wondered what about the thing he had just said could have instilled such a reaction, he certainly wanted to steer her clear of this kind f mood.

"I'd guess you were a cold hearted person for that, but after yesterday I can't really say for sure." Naomi said, "So I'm just gonna assume Kisame hasn't told you, which is probably just as likely."

"Told me what?" Naruto asked, getting curious. Eko also seemed interested in what she had to say, he was being unusually silent.

"Guess that proves it." Naomi muttered, before locking eyes with Naruto, "That katana is evil."

"What?!"

Naruto frowned at Naomi, she seemed deadly serious. Sure, Eko could be an obnoxious ass sometimes, but evil was pushing things a bit far. And how did she even know Eko to begin with?

"What are you talking about?" he asked, returning her eye contact. Naomi glanced behind her, noting that Kisame had wandered off, before looking back at Naruto with her hands on her hips.

"Just trust me alright, you're better getting rid of that thing." she said, resolutely. Naruto continued to stare up at her, and as the eye contact continued, Naomi found it harder to maintain. She finally broke it, turning her head to the right as she pretended to spot something. But even then Naruto looked on, trying to figure out what was going on in her head, "Enough of that, get back to training."

She then turned away and walked to the wall, which she pressed her back against as she watched from a distance. Naruto's frown subsided as he realised he wasn't going to get an answer after all. He really wanted to know, but it was obvious that prying would get him nowhere. He decided instead to continue, and returned his focus to the leaf once more.

* * * * *

Several miles away, in the village of Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his office, fingers steepled as he thought. The sun was cast on his back, adding to the weight he already felt upon it. He looked across at the woman before him, she wore tight fitting black clothes with a grey flak vest over her shirt. She bore a swirling tattoo on her right shoulder, and a porcelain mask on her face. Her hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and feathered out rather messily. But it was the only aspect of her that wasn't in order. She stood to attention as she awaited orders.

"Thank you Owl, that will be all." Hiruzen said, nodding.

"Hokage-sama." Owl replied, bowing before leaving. Hiruzen sat back in his chair, fixing his eyes upon the ceiling. He really didn't have time for all this stress, not at this time of year. But he couldn't ignore this either, it was too important.

"_Uzumaki Naruto…" _he thought, _"What must be going through your mind right now?"_

He sighed, before sitting back up and getting on with the paperwork. He couldn't afford to search for Naruto, but he could afford even less to rest on his laurels right now.

But as he signed and stamped the papers, he found his mind wandering back to the hyperactive troublemaker who always caused him grief.

"_He had such a simple mind. How did her ever bring himself to do something like this?" _he thought, as he pressed his forehead into his hand, _"From what Iruka-kun said, all this is Mizuki-san's doing. But from the sound of things, Mizuki had no intention of taking Naruto-kun from the village, and the person he was reported to be seen with was definitely not Mizuki-san."_

Hiruzen sighed again, as he lifted himself off his hand and continued his signing. He really didn't want to do this right now, but duty dictated he must.

"_A black cloak with red clouds… didn't Jiraiya-kun mention something of that?"_

* * * * *

Sweat dripped down Naruto's brow, the ticklish sensation driving him crazy as he continued his training. The other clones were in the same condition, and the sun wasn't exactly helping. Naomi was lucky, she sat in the shade of the wall around her home, oblivious to the fire above. But she didn't seem to appreciate her good fortune, her eyes were as hard as ever.

"Let's see your progress." she said, as she got to her feet. Naruto nodded, dispelling the clones around him. He then walked towards her as she picked a fresh leaf from the ground. He dropped his and accepted the one she held out, before testing his skill on it, "It should be about a third by now."

"She's looking at me."

Naruto tried to ignore Eko's complaints as he channelled his Futon chakra into his hands. It was a strange feeling when the Kage Bunshin gave him experience, he couldn't even describe what it was like to feel as if he had done something a hundred times in a moment. It was a little overwhelming to be honest, that sort of overtook notice of any signs of improvement. Eko's paranoia certainly wasn't helping.

"I don't trust her. She know me, but I don't know her."

"Why are you so attached to that blade?" Naomi asked, proving Eko right.

"You see?! She's tryna get rid of me or something!"

"Why do you hate it so much?" Naruto asked, looking up for just a second.

"Answer my question first." Naomi replied, in a stubborn tone.

"Uh-uh, earlier you asked why I accepted Eko-kun, now it's my turn." Naruto said defiantly.

"And you never answered that question." Naomi replied, persistently, "You want my answer, you've go first."

Naruto glanced up again for a second. Her eyes were upon him, giving undivided attention. He looked back down to his hands, thinning the chakra out.

"I dunno, Kisame-sensei just gave it to me." he answered, as he felt the leaf move in his hands, "I didn't really have a reason to say no. I thought it'd be kinda cool to have a katana."

Naomi let out a small groan of annoyance. She'd already worked that much out, she should have known better than to let him pick which question to answer.

"Your turn." Naruto said, as he made the chakra move faster. Naomi closed her eyes for a moment, resisting a sigh. When she opened them again, she placed her hand on her hip.

"It's a power hungry blade." she replied, "It takes control of the person who wields it and fights ruthlessly. It doesn't even care if that person gets hurt in the process. _That's _why it's evil."

Naruto blinked, his chakra faltering for a moment. He quickly recovered though, and soon had it back to pace.

It was true, Eko did take control every now and then, and that time they'd fought Kisame the katana had gotten careless, but that didn't seem enough to call it _evil_. And Eko certainly seemed to agree.

"What's wrong with wanting to get stronger?!"

"He just gets carried away sometimes, are you saying that's never happened to you?" Naruto asked, as his chakra left his hands and occupied the space between.

"That's tow questions." Naomi replied, "Now why are you with Kisame?"

This time Naruto actually looked up. He already knew what his next question was going to be.

"He's my sensei. It'd be kinda hard for him to train me if I wasn't around." he answered, "Why do you hate Kisame-sensei so much?"

"Because the last person he gave Ekokaeten to was Aiko's father." Naomi replied, simply. This time Naruto stopped altogether, his head snapping up to look at Naomi. He then whipped round to see Eko, who was incredulous.

"What the hell is she talking about?!"

Naomi let out a sigh, before turning back and sliding down the wall. She then folded her arms and close her eyes, a definitely annoyed look on her face.

"Your concentration's broken, and even for you a hundred Kage Bunshin has to be exhausting." she said, "You might as well take a break."

Naruto blinked, looking at the leaf in his hand. The cut was just a little over a quarter, but definitely not a third. He sighed, dropping it as he took a seat to Naomi's right, placing Ekokaeten down to his side. It was barely noticeable, but he could see Naomi appreciated the distance between her and the blade. Naruto watched her in silence for several moments, before she began her story.

"His name was Hibiki, he was a Shinobi from Kirigakure." she said, "He was a very passionate person, and _very _hot headed. He was always aspiring to become better than what he was, he wanted to be the best."

Naruto blinked as he listened to Naomi. It sounded like he and this Hibiki guy had something in common then. Naomi sat back, resting her head against the wall and looking up at the sky.

"He was always aspiring to be like his older brother." she continued, "He always looked up to him, although he would never admit it. Every mission he ever went on, he always sought to take out more enemies than last time. But no matter what he did, his brother was always better than him, he had a long way to go before he could even think of facing him in battle.

"That's how he was when I met him. I was on the other side…

* * * * *

"Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Naomi leapt through the air, dodging the torrent of water that almost smashed into her. She landed behind a tree, pressing her back against the bark. She watched with a raised brow as the tree she had been on moments before was shattered by the Jutsu, sending half of it crashing onto the ground. A large cloud of dirt burst from the impact, and she used it as cover to break from her position. She then leapt up into another tree, hiding amongst the leaves. She scanned the earth far below, and then the branches up high. The trees here were much taller and thicker than the ones found in Konoha, it was easy to lose yourself in them. But it was even easier to lose your opponent, as she had seemed to.

She caught a sound behind her, and whipped her head around. A Kirigakure Shinobi had landed on the bough of a nearby tree, his hand placed on the bark as he looked for her.

He was a young man, maybe sixteen or seventeen. He had tall, dark brown hair set up in spikes, and a blue forehead protector holding it in place. He was well built, but a little too muscular for a Shinobi. He was shirtless, but had a pair of belts crossing over his shoulders and waist with what looked like small water containers strapped to them. He also bore several long and short scars across his chest, arms and back, each of them were blade wounds. His midnight blue slacks were rather baggy, but speed wasn't his forte anyway. His deep set eyes bore a hazel iris, with a thin and jagged layer of gold around the pupil, like a fire under a cloudy sky. His nose had been broken a long time ago, it slanted off to the right just a little. He also had a cut on his left ear, in the middle of the helix, the area just along the top. It was small and thin, like a wound from a blade. All these distinguishing features however, where lost on Naomi. The reason being, she had no use for them.

"Hibiki?!" she exclaimed, from her hiding place, "The hell are you doing here?!"

Hibiki whipped his head in the direction Naomi's voice had come from. His expression was of complete incredulousness, like he couldn't believe his ears. Naomi stood from her position, and his eyes immediately landed on her, instantly recognising her. The long red ponytail, the obscene eyebrows, and the headband tied between them. The flak vest and the blue slacks, the entire uniform of a Konoha Jonin. And that scar, the one just by her chin on her left cheek, the one he had given her a long time ago, just like she had given him his. He knew this person very well indeed.

"Naomi-chan?!" he breathed, before cursing, "Goddamn it, you still following me?!"

"Dream on asshole!" Naomi replied, as she dropped down from the branch to the ground below. Hibiki did the same, landing not quite as neatly as Naomi did. He got up off his knees, and looked at her with a smirk. Naomi didn't return it, she was in a bad mood after the sneak attack, "What the hell are you doing here? Is Kiri after the target?"

"Hell if I know." Hibiki replied, "Captain doesn't give me my orders till we arrive, in case I find it boring and skip off."

He then moved to a fighting position, his legs parted, and his hands close to his waste line. Naomi sighed, before taking her stance, her right leg pushed back as she turned so Hibiki was on her left side. She kept her eyes on him, her right hand on the tanto strapped to the small of her back. She cast her eyes over his scars, a smirk spreading across her lips.

"Eighteen to one." she said, as she ran her finger across her own scar, "Looks like this is our twentieth fight, I'm feeling a little nostalgic."

"If you're only counting cuts, then you've got a definite lead." Hibiki replied, as he slowly unscrewed the lid of one of the water containers, "But if you're talking about broken bones, I lead sixteen to four."

Naomi withdrew her tanto just an inch, the sunlight gleaming off the metal. Hibiki saw this and immediately flew through a series of hand seals. Naomi pulled her tanto out completely and ran to Hibiki, holding the blade in her right hand, around her left side. Fallen leaves scattered with every step she took, and she drew upon her opponent, just a few metres away.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!" he called. Water burst from the ground, blasting skywards as it enveloped Hibiki, just as Naomi reached him. She lashed out with her tanto, Futon chakra extending the blade by half. It cut through the wall of water, but struck nothing else. Instinctively, she leapt back, just barely missing Hibiki's drop kick from above. His heel struck the ground, sending dust and debris flying in every direction, and a small crater in the ground.

He straightened up just as Naomi reached him again, and grabbed her wrist just before she could slice his arm. But before he could counterattack, she kicked off the ground and cracked his skull with her heel, forcing him to release her hand. He fell back into the water wall, and was shot back into the sky just as the Jutsu wore off. He flew up into the air, completely stunned by the attack he had received and unable to react properly.

Naomi leapt up to the nearest tree, and kicked off it as she ascended into the air. She reached his height just as he began to descend again, still blinking stupidly. She kicked off again and appeared above him running through hand seals of her own.

"Futon: Daitoppa!" she called, before slamming both her palms into Hibiki's chest. An incredible blast of wind forced out of her palms, blasting Hibiki from the treetops to the ground in almost half a second. The crashing sound from the impact blocked out his cries, but his eyes were as wide as his skin would allow, and his jaw was as far down as it could go. He almost instantly lost consciousness, his eyes rolling back into his skull.

Naomi landed beside him, frowning down at his body. She then crouched down beside him, and rolled his eyelids down so he wouldn't go blind. She then straightened up again, placing a hand on her hip. She then shook her head, before turning away.

She gasped in shock as a white cloaked figure appeared from nowhere, wielding a katana who's blade was literally centimetres from her throat. At this range, there was no way she could dodge.

"No!" she breathed, as she felt the blade touch her skin.

"HURRH!!!" the assailant cried, before he was launched away into a tree not far behind, his body embedding itself in the wood. Naomi's eyes were wide with shock, she felt the thinnest trail of blood run down her neck. She looked to her right, her heart forgetting what it was supposed to be doing.

Hibiki stood next to her, his fist held out were the attackers stomack had been only moments ago. He then collapsed onto the ground, coughing blood onto the dirt.

"Hack!" he grunted, as he held his hand to his mouth. He then rolled over onto his back, blood running down his chin. Naomi fell to her knees, looking down at him with a stunned look.

"You idiot." she breathed, her expression frozen in place, "You shouldn't even think of moving in that condition."

"Guess I got a little carried away." Hibiki replied with a grin, "So what is this, nineteen to one?"

"Shut up." Naomi said, glaring at him, "Why the hell did you do that?"

Hibiki's grin turned into a smirk as he gave Naomi a knowing look.

"Same reason you always seem to miss my vital points." he replied, "Face it, you'd miss me if I was gone."

"What are you saying?" Naomi asked, her hands curling into fists. She really felt like hitting him right now, it annoyed her when she wasn't given straight answers."

"Simple, I'd miss you if you were gone." Hibiki answered, unashamedly. Naomi blinked down at him, a stupefied look on her face. Hibiki let out a small chuckle, before pushing himself to a sitting position. Naomi would have stopped him, but she was still too dazed, she had failed to notice him even move. But when he placed a hand on her shoulder to push himself to his feet, she realised where he was.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded, as she stood back up and grabbed his arm, "You're way too hurt!"

"It's not as bad as it looks, I landed on the mud caused by the Suijinheki, it softened the landing." he said, with a grin Naomi knew was just for show. She pushed him against a tree, and forced him back to a sitting position.

"You're not going anywhere." she said, as she reached for the first aid kit in her pouch. Hibiki chuckled again as he watched her pull the small case out.

"You gonna nurse me back to health Naomi-chan?" he asked, with a grin. He then looked over to the body of the assailant, "Probably shouldn't bother, I'm as good as dead anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Naomi asked, as she opened the case and pulled a roll of bandages out.

"See that guy over there?" Hibiki said, nodding to the white cloaked Shinobi, "He's my captain."

Naomi's head whipped around to the person who had attacked her. His head hung, long grey hair obscuring his face. But with the cloak opened, she could see the Kiri Jonin uniform underneath.

"Guess he wasn't expecting that attack." Hibiki grinned, as Naomi stared in shock, "Kiri's not gonna be too happy about that."

"What are you going to do?" Naomi asked, looking back at him. He replied by pulling his headband off and tossing it into the mud. He then looked at her pointedly, smirking.

"Looks like I gotta find a place to hide." he said, leaning forward as Naomi began wrapping bandages around him, "Anyone renting the space under your bed?"

Naomi replied by pressing her finger into his back. He groaned in pain, missing Naomi's smile. He allowed her to finish what she was doing in silence, figuring now it was too dangerous to talk. But when she was done, she helped him to his feet, putting his arm over her shoulder. He looked over to his dead captain again, and to the katana he'd dropped at his feet.

"Let me just grab that." he said, as he slowly walked towards it. But Naomi stopped him, digging her heels into the ground.

"Forget it, it's just a katana." she replied stubbornly. The katana that had nearly taken her head.

"No, it's more than that." Hibiki said, persistently. Naomi let out an annoyed sigh, before helping him over to the fallen blade. He removed his arm from her, and crouched down as he placed his hand on the hilt. A broad grin soon spread across his lips, and he wasted no time in removing the sheath from his captains side. He then replaced the katana, and held the sheath tight as he stood again, turning to Naomi, "What about you? I don't think your team will be willing to bring me along."

"They won't mind if I disappear for a while, I've done it before." Naomi replied, taking his arm again and walking off, "We'll find somewhere to put you, at least for now."

"Who'd have thought you were such a gentle soul?" Hibiki grinned, before receiving another jab to the ribs, "Ah! Sorry!"

But Naomi smiled again, making sure he couldn't see it.

* * * * *

"I found a place to keep him hidden, and dropped in every now and then to check on him." Naomi said, staring down at the ground between her feet, "But as time went by, I found it harder and harder to return to the village. It eventually came to the point where I just didn't go back."

Naruto stared speechlessly at her, his lips parted and his brow raised. His head raised as she got to her feet, her hands clenched into fists.

"You finish it." she said, before walking around Naruto and into her garden. He heard the sound of the door open and close, and then a soft thump beside him. Kisame sat down where Naomi had just been, a grin clear on his face. Naruto, assuming it was Kisame Naomi was speaking to, looked at his sensei questioningly.

"So… that katana Hibiki-san picked up was Ekokaeten?" he asked, "Does that mean you knew his captain?"

"Yeah, he was one of the seven swordsmen." Kisame replied, with a distant look in his eyes, "I was surprised when I found out Hibiki defeated him, but not so much that he took Eko-kun. After all, that was the way new members where decided. He became one of us, even though after that day he quit being a Shinobi. His wounds were just too great to continue."

"That's complete bull, I don't remember any of that!"

"Of course you wouldn't." Kisame replied, looking at Eko casually, "The seven swords have no recollection of their previous wielders. Whenever someone new possesses them, they simply forget it all. It's a way to keep them from trauma and therefore keep their wielders alive."

Naruto looked at Eko, sensing his shock from the news. He then looked back to Kisame, as something caught his thoughts.

"So what happened?" he asked, "How did Hibiki-san lose Eko-kun?"

"Hunter-nin found him, years later." Kisame replied, "It was the first fight he had been in in years, and dear Eko-kun got over excited. He completely forgot about Hibiki and went berserk, attacking the hunter-nin recklessly. They had no trouble killing Hibiki. Luckily, they left Eko-kun behind, and I returned for him.

"I must say, I was surprised at what I found. A mourning pregnant woman, crying into his dead body. She tried to attack me, but she was rather far along. I realised then who she must be, and simply subdued her. She was broken, and hadn't the will to resist. After learning who I was though, she became very angry, and I left with Eko very soon after. However, I did drop in every now and then, to check on my little niece."

Naruto did a double take, looking round to the house before snapping back to Kisame's face, with a bewildered expression.

"Wait a minute, so Hibiki-san was your brother?!" he exclaimed, "Then why does Naomi-sensei hate you?"

"Lot's of reasons." Kisame answered, with a laid back look, "For finding the seven swords, for giving Eko-kun to the person Hibiki killed, for making Hibiki want a seven sword, and many more, I'm sure."

Naruto looked intently at Kisame, before slowly turning his gaze to Eko. He could feel the blade looking up at him, as speechless as Naruto was.


	14. Princess of the blazing sky

Great, I imply that Zabuza's blade isn't one of the seven swords, and now there's the thickest mist I have ever seen outside right now... I'm gonna fucking die. Ah well, least you can't blame me if the story stops here, blame the demon of the mist, it'll be his fault. Not really sure what this chapter should represent, I have a strange gift for creating future possibilities even when I don't know if I'll use them. Ah well... maybe I'll get lucky and he'll send haku to do a quick job with a senbon, I don't wanna get blood over my Yucca trees, Tensei and Shousei.

Disclaimer: So I've got a couple of trees in my room, so what? There a lot wierder things about me than that!

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* * *

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**Princess of the blazing sky**

It was the third day, the final day that Naruto would train there. Tomorrow, they would have to make their way back to Amegakure, find out about this "mission" Deva was talking about.

At first, Naruto had been pretty excited about getting a mission, but now it was just something at the back of his mind; his thoughts were elsewhere.

Because of Eko, a man had died, leaving his lover and daughter alone. He couldn't get that thought out of his mind.

It seemed like Eko too had his thoughts on the events of yesterday, he had been pretty quiet ever since. Naruto was glad, since he didn't know what to say to his "partner".

Damn… Aiko never even got the chance to know her father. Naruto could certainly relate, but there was something a little more tragic in the little girl's case. Naruto didn't know what happened to his parents; know one had been willing to answer. He didn't even know if they were alive, and sometimes he wondered if he wanted them to be.

But Aiko… every time her mother looked at her, she would see traces of Hibiki in her. Did the little girl even know the truth, or would she have to live under the gaze of her mother's sad eyes? That had been the case on that first day, before Naruto's Kage Bunshin took Aiko down to the village. Naomi had held her daughter close, with such a sad and pained look in her eyes that Naruto had failed to notice before. Now he could hardly get it out of his mind.

All of that, it had all been caused because Eko got _excited_? Could he really be so self involved, so bloodthirsty that he would disregard the life of the person who had so much to look forward to? It almost seemed convenient that he was unable to remember, if Kisame hadn't explained the reason, Naruto wasn't sure if he'd have been able to believe the blade.

It was the only way he could even come close to sympathising. Eko lost his memories of anyone who wielded him. Then, for as long as no one possessed him, it would be like no one ever had. To him, he had been alone in that cave for all his life, knowing only of the other seven swords, and those who came to claim them. That sort of feeling, Naruto couldn't comprehend it himself. What did Eko feel, to always be left behind, unwanted by anyone? It must have really destroyed him when Kisame brought Zabuza to him; in that moment when he thought he would finally escape, only to be disregarded as a useless tool. Whenever Naruto thought about it, he wondered if maybe the blade was mad. He knew he would have broken down a long time ago under those circumstances, the closest thing he had ever been through like that was what happened with Mizuki, but he wasn't really sure if that was enough to compare.

He opened his hands, looking down at the small leaf sitting in his palm. It had a long, thin cut running about halfway through. He stared for a few moments, before dropping it on the ground. It didn't seem like much to him right now.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Kisame asked, grinding his knuckles into Naruto's skull. Naruto cried out, both from surprise and from the pain in his head. He looked up at Kisame, who was grinning down at him, "Somehow you're not as energetic as usual."

Naruto stared at his sensei with a raised brow, before looking away.

"I've just been thinking… about yesterday." he said, in a quiet voice. Kisame rolled his eyes, before leaning on Naruto's shoulder.

"You're worried about Eko-kun because of what he did." he stated, as if it was obvious to figure out. Naruto noticed Eko react to these words, but neither of them said anything, "Well don't. Blades aren't supposed to think about the repercussions of their actions, it just isn't in their nature. All they are supposed to think about is the next fight. It's what they're crafted for, and what they are wielded for. A katana put on display is worthless. No matter how much you polish it, it'll never shine like a blade used in battle. It withers and dies, because its purpose is forgotten."

Both Naruto and Eko were looking up at Kisame, silently stunned. Kisame sighed, before straightening up.

"We leave tomorrow." he said, walking towards the house, "You should probably just rest today. You're not gonna learnt the nest step anytime soon, so you can afford to take a break. Besides, your heart isn't in it."

Naruto watched as Kisame entered Naomi's garden, and disappeared from sight. He was silent for several moments, unsure of what to say or think.

"Naruto… I didn't know about all of that, I swear. If I could fix what I've done, well, I'd still belong to Hibiki and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Naruto blinked, slowly turning to look at Eko.

"But Kisame no Danna's wrong. It's not always about the next fight. I'm not just a tool for killing, I can do more than that… you believe me, right?"

Naruto's eyes were fixed on Eko's hilt, his lips parted as he listened closely. When Eko asked him that, he dropped his gaze, looking down at the ground.

"Sure thing." he said, quietly, "Why don't we prove him wrong, huh?"

"… Yeah."

"Big brother Naruto!" Aiko called, running out of the garden and down towards Naruto with a big smile, "Uncle Kisame said you're gonna take me down to the village again!"

Naruto's eyes widened as the little girl started to climb up him again. He crouched down to make it easier for her, until she was sitting on his shoulders.

"Uh… sure, I guess." Naruto replied, smiling up as the little girl put her hands on his head for balance. She beamed back down at him, oblivious to the thoughts that had been going through Naruto's mind, involving her.

"Mommy gave me some money, she wants us to buy some things when we're down there." Aiko said, holding up a small purse and a note, "Can you help me find them big brother?"

"Yeah, of course I will." Naruto replied, wondering when she decided he was her older brother. He held onto her ankles to keep her steady, and began walking down the hill towards the village. As they descended, Aiko seemed taken to rubbing his hair, a gleeful look on her face.

"How come your hair's so spiky?" she asked, leaning over so she could see his face. Naruto glanced up, seeing her hair just at the top of his vision.

"Uh, I dunno." he replied, "It's always like that."

"Really?" Aiko asked, as she went back to running her fingers through it with a look of fascination, "How come you've got whiskers on your face?"

"Whiskers?" Naruto asked back, with a slightly startled look.

"Yeah, these!" Aiko replied, patting him on the cheek. She then got a confused frown, and her patting turned into a gentle slapping, "Hey, how come they're not moving?"

"Cause it's my skin!" Naruto said, wincing as her slaps became harder, "Cut that out would ya?"

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Aiko cried, whipping her hands away as if she'd been bitten. Naruto grinned up at her, and she relaxed. But her interest was suddenly piqued again when she noticed Ekokaeten, "What's this?"

"Huh- hold on!" Naruto exclaimed, as she reached out to pull the blade out. Aiko was startled by his sudden yell and looked at him fearfully, thinking she'd made him angry. Naruto put her down, and began entrapping Eko from his back.

"I'm sorry." Aiko said, with a worried look on her face. Naruto smiled warmly at her, before placing his hand on her head.

"It's alright." he said, as he rubbed her head softly, "Just don't touch this ok? It's not safe."

"Ok big brother." Aiko replied, pouting at the way he was treating her. Naruto laughed, before he tied Ekokaeten to his waist and allowed Aiko back onto his shoulders. They then resumed their little journey with Aiko humming to herself happily.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, this sucks." Eko complained, as the tip of his sheath struck the ground with each step, "Why the hell do you have to be so short?!"

Naruto tried to adjust Eko so he wasn't hitting the ground, pulling the sheath up higher before tightening the strap again.

"Better?" he asked, looking down at the blade questioningly.

"Yeah, though I can't say I enjoy swinging around like this." Eko grumbled in reply.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Aiko asked, looking down at Naruto.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Naruto said, grinning reassuringly at Aiko.

"Dumbass."

They reached the bottom of the hill; the village wasn't too far off now. They'd covered about half the journey just descending the hill, now there was only a quarter mile left. Aiko started swaying from side to side, which was throwing Naruto's balance a little. He decided to preoccupy her by reaching behind and lifting his sedge hat onto her head. In no time the hat became the centre of Aiko's attention, and she held either side to keep it in place.

Up ahead, they could see the village through the trees. It was a simple place, but not quite to the extent of the village where Naruto had first met Haku. It was fairly typical, with a touch of industrialism with the power cables running across the rooftops, and the air had that faint smell, like it wasn't quite as pure as it should have been.

That's not to say it wasn't a nice place, just that it had been a while since Naruto had been in a village running with power. Kisame usually had them travel through the agricultural villages, to avoid any unnecessary confrontation. With lack of facilities, the people of a village became surprisingly timid. That was his reasoning at least, but Naruto didn't really understand it.

They walked into the village, almost completely ignored by the people roaming the streets. There were market stalls all around, their numbers overshadowing those of actual stores. This place was on a route between the Land of Rivers and Konoha, so trade caravans often passed through here. Naruto could see the people who weren't from around here by the faint changes in skin tone, and other such features. It was a surprise to him; he never usually paid attention to such things. He wondered if the time he had spent with high ranking Shinobi like Kisame had maybe had an unforeseen effect on him. He shook himself out of that train of thought, he could think of those things later.

"So what's first on the list?" he asked, looking up at Aiko with a smile.

"Uh…" Aiko replied, studying the note her mother had given her closely. She then looked around and pointed ahead to the left, "We need to go that way!"

"Right!" Naruto replied, following the direction she was pointing.

* * * * *

Naomi sat in front of the table in the living, cross legged. She picked up her tea and sipped it, her permanent expression veiling the calmness the situation ought to bring. She had let yesterday pass over, her thoughts had passed over to that time too often for it to still be an issue to her. But she still couldn't shake the feeling she got from seeing Ekokaeten again. Because of the way Naruto carried it, she had almost dismissed it as an average katana. But when Kisame told her what it was, she immediately knew it to be the truth.

It had taken considerable inner strength to keep herself from flying off into a rage; the only reason she hadn't taken and destroyed the blade was that she couldn't bring herself to touch the damn thing, lest it took over her like it did Hibiki. She could only hope that Naruto would see this and dispose of it, like she couldn't.

She lowered her cup back onto the table, her gaze piercing the wall across from her. She was very aware that Kisame was standing in the hallway behind her, but refused to acknowledge him.

"I take it you're still not up for getting nostalgic then?" Kisame asked, as he leant against the wall.

"Go to hell." Naomi replied, though without the force she would usually use. She was tired of getting angry, she knew it would do nothing against the man behind her. Kisame chuckled, shaking his head. He knew very well that Naomi wanted him to leave her alone, and she knew very well that he wouldn't.

"One day princess, one day."

"Don't you fucking call me that." Naomi growled, glaring over her shoulder. Kisame grinned, folding his arms.

"You're language is always so colourful when little Aiko isn't around." he commented, as he rested his head against the wall.

"Look, even if by some miracle Naruto does manage to complete this stage, there's nowhere near for him to practice the next step." Naomi said, through gritted teeth, "So why don't you take him, and that goddamn katana and get the fuck out of here?"

"Easy Naomi-chan." Kisame replied, "I think my little niece has taken a liking to dear Naruto-kun. Don't even bother trying to convince me she isn't lonely, I think she would be very sad to see him go."

Naomi looked back into her cup, staring at the reflection of the light in the liquid.

"Did you see her when she went with Naruto-kun?" Kisame asked, turning his head to the open doorway, "She ran faster than I'd ever seen before."

Naomi's grip on her cup tightened, but she still didn't say anything. Kisame was a cold, heartless bastard, she knew that from experience. But she also knew that he seldom said unnecessary things, not when it came to Aiko. It made her gut burn to admit it, but he seemed to express genuine concern for his late brother's daughter. It was the only reason he would drop by, and definitely the only reason Naomi would allow him anywhere near her or her daughter.

But it was for that reason also, that she knew he was right. Aiko had used to be wary of Kisame, she thought he looked a little scary, which was definitely understandable. However, once she had gotten used to him, she gained a light in her eyes that nearly broke Naomi's heart. For all of her daughters life, it had just been the two of them. Naomi had been content with that, but she could see Aiko wasn't.

"What are you getting at?" she asked, as she took another sip, "Either way, Naruto's gonna leave. It's better to do it after she's had a good time, so she can't make plans for the next day and be disappointed."

"True enough, I just thought that you ought to know…" Kisame replied, as he straightened up, "She calls him "big brother Naruto"."

He left on that note, noticing the very slight sound of Naomi's cup cracking under the pressure.

* * * * *

"I think that's all of it!" Aiko said, scanning the note thoroughly, "Yeah, that's everything!"

"Cool, so you wanna head back now?" Naruto asked, "It's getting pretty late."

"Ok." Aiko replied, placing both hands on Naruto's head and resting her own on top of them. Naruto smiled, carrying bags in the crook of his elbows as he walked towards the village exit. The sun was almost setting, an orange light filled the sky and made them both feel even warmer. Actually, it was pretty hot today, and stuffy too. Naruto tugged on his collar, trying to get a cool breeze in. Aiko didn't seem to mind, but then she wasn't moving, or carrying heavy things. Plus she had the sedge hat to give her shade. Overall, she seemed pretty comfortable as she was. It was a nice thing to see, Naruto was a little envious of her.

"Big brother…" Aiko said, with a content look on her face, "You're gonna be leaving soon, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I've gotta go back somewhere." Naruto replied, with a smile, "There's some things I need to do, and a whole world of problems to fix."

Aiko giggled, before closing her eyes peacefully.

"You sound just like a hero." she said, "Promise you'll come back sometime?"

"Yeah, sure thing." Naruto replied, as Aiko put her arms around his head.

"You better." she muttered, before sleep took her. Naruto couldn't help but grin, this little girl was a sweetheart.

He carried her up the hill, which steadily steepened as they ascended. The shadows from the trees made the time look later than it was, Naruto didn't feel tired enough for the time the world looked right now. It was with that realisation that he decided to increase his pace. After all, he didn't want to worry Naomi.

He could just see the border around Naomi and Aiko's home up ahead, the setting sun lighting it up and the hill acting as a podium. The place was really being put on display, it was sort of strange, like a stage. He upped his pace again, until he was lightly jogging, making sure not to disturb Aiko, who was sleeping peacefully. It wasn't long after that that he passed through the entrance, and slowed down as he stepped onto the patio leading up to the house. He reached up and slid the door open, walking in.

"We're back, Naomi-sensei!" he called, but not loudly enough to wake Aiko. He saw Naomi appear from the kitchen, and noticed her daughter was fast asleep. She walked over and took the bags from Naruto, before returning to the kitchen to drop them off. Naruto followed her through, but then she turned around and took Aiko off his shoulders, carrying her in her arms. She nodded in thanks, before heading back into the hallway and taking a right, supposedly heading towards Aiko's bedroom. Naruto waited patiently as Naomi tucked her daughter in, before returning to the hallway. Her brow rose in surprise as she realised Naruto was still standing there waiting for her.

"Here." Naruto said, holding his hand out. He dropped some coins into Naomi's hand, the change from the shopping.

"Uh, thanks." Naomi replied, with a surprised look. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but not this. She gripped the coins in her hand, before taking a deep breath and looking up at Naruto, "Come on, I'll get you something to drink."

Naruto followed her into the living room, and gestured for him to sit down by the table. Naruto did so, and she walked out towards the kitchen, where he could here a quiet scraping sound, like pieces of pottery rubbing against each other. He took the time to look around, the table was the only piece of furniture in the room. The walls were a pale blue, with a few thin wooden strips running from floor to ceiling in seemingly random places. He sat on a beige carpet, thin, but comfortable. From all that he'd seen so far, he really had to wonder what Aiko did for fun, the place seemed pretty bare. And now that he thought about it, whenever Aiko wasn't literally beside him, she seemed to completely disappear, like she wasn't even on the hill anymore.

It was then that Naomi returned, holding two steaming cups in her hands. She placed one in front of Naruto, before sitting down across from him. Naruto thanked her for the drink, but she barely seemed to notice. He raised the cup to his lips and took a sip, realising it was a little too hot. As he did this, Naomi studied him closely, as if assessing him for something. When he put his cup down, so did she.

"Look, there's no way you're gonna be able to complete your training here." she said, propping her elbow up on the table, "So listen closely. Once you've managed to cut a leaf in half, You'll need to find yourself a waterfall. The next step is to learn to cut through it. You'll know you're doing it right when the waterfall stops at where your hands are. And believe me, you're gonna need those Kage Bunshin of yours."

"Uh, sure, I- wait a minute, a waterfall?!" Naruto exclaimed, planting both hands on the table, "Where the hell am I supposed to find one of those?!"

"I don't know, there's probably one in Takigakure somewhere." Naomi sarcastically replied. Naruto fell silent, sensing her bad mood. Naomi watched him for several moments, before letting out a silent sigh, "Hey, thanks for keeping Aiko company. I know she gets pretty lonely."

"Don't thank me." Naruto said, earning a frown from Naomi, "I was glad to do it."

Her frown turned into a surprised look, but she quickly dropped it and looked out the window. She found it hard to look at Naruto when he was smiling like that.

"Ever since I left Konoha, I've been marked as a missing-nin." she said, resting her head on her hand, "Aiko doesn't know that I was a Kunoichi, I've been in hiding since before she was born."

Naruto watched her with a raised brow. Five years was a long time to hide out. Did she confine herself to her home and that small village down there, hiding who she was from even her own daughter? That must have been hard, Naruto couldn't imagine what it must have been like.

"I only wish…" Naomi began, before shaking her head, "Forget it."

"You don't wanna have to hide anymore." Naruto said, "You want Aiko-chan to be able to have fun like a normal little girl, that right?"

Naomi looked at him in surprise, her glaring eyebrows taking on an almost normal shape. She slowly nodded her head, as Naruto smiled again at her.

"Don't worry, you will." he said, "One day, I promise!"

They both watched each other closely, Naomi at a loss for words. She couldn't really take that promise seriously… but for some reason, she took Naruto seriously.

"That's quite a statement to make." she replied, fixing her eyes to his, "What are you gonna do, ask the Hokage to take me out the bingo book?"

"The Hokage?" Naruto repeated, as he thought about the old man. For a while now, he'd had a thought about him running through his mind, but for some reason he could never form it into coherent words, "Nah, I won't ask him. I've got something else in mind."

Naomi was about to ask, when Kisame ducked his head through the doorway, a broad grin on his face.

"Sorry to disturb you both, but I just thought I'd let you know, Konoha's here." he said, with a knowing look.

"What?!" Naruto and Naomi exclaimed, getting to their feet at the same time. Kisame gave them a look that confirmed it, before heading back outside.

"Shit!" Naomi cursed, before running out the room, "Come on!"

Naruto followed Naomi as she ran to Aiko's room. She pushed the door aside and gently scooped her daughter up in her arms, before turning to Naruto, who was standing in the hallway.

"Take her and get out of here." she said, handing Aiko over to a surprised Naruto, before she pushed past him and lifted a panel off the floor, "Get out through here, we'll catch up when this is over with."

Naruto nodded, sliding down into the hole. Naomi made to place the panel back down, but Naruto stopped her.

"Hey, I promise I'll change all this." he said, locking eyes with her. Naomi faltered for a moment, as a strange expression crossed her face. Then she grunted in annoyance, before reaching out and gripping Ekokaeten's hilt.

"What the?!" Eko exclaimed in shock.

Before Naruto could ask, Naomi pushed him down and closed the hatch, before she got to her feet and ran outside to meet her uninvited guests.

She ran out into the garden, where Kisame was facing three Konoha ninja. The person who was obviously the leader looked at Naomi with a raised brow, which wasn't a pretty sight.

"Is that really you?" the person asked, "The princess of the blazing sky?"

Naomi grinded her teeth in annoyance. She hated that name more than anything, and most definitely didn't want it uttered in her own home.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" she asked, with a glare, "Maito Gai."

* * * * *

Naruto ran down the narrow tunnel, letting his other sense guide him as he ran in complete darkness. As his feet pounded on the dirt, he felt Aiko stir in his arms.

"Where am I?" she asked, in a small voice, "I'm scared!"

"It's ok Aiko-chan, just keep your eyes closed!" Naruto said, as he spotted a slither of light up ahead.

"Big brother?" Aiko spoke, reaching up and touching his face, "What's going on?"

"It's alright, I just got lost on the way back home!" he lied, before giving her a grin she could just barely see, "I'm pretty clumsy, aren't I?"

"Yeah!" Aiko replied, smiling. She seemed to relax after that, the thought of her being underground seemed to escape her. That was good, the last thing Naruto needed was for her to panic, that would make things even more difficult.

The light up ahead drew nearer, and turned into a rounded shape, a hole leading upwards. They reached it and Naruto put Aiko down before climbing out. He took a look around, and when he was satisfied that no one else was around, he took Aiko's hand and pulled her out of what turned out to be a hole amidst the roots of a tree, like a large warren. As soon as she was out, Naruto picked Aiko up again and immediately began running in the opposite direction of her home. Aiko wrapped her arms around his neck, she wasn't feeling so confident now.

"I don't think this is the right way." she said, as she looked around, "Isn't home back there? And where did the bags go?"

Naruto didn't reply, and Aiko stared worriedly up at him.

"Big brother, what's going on?" she asked, feeling scared again.

"It's ok Aiko-chan, don't worry about it." Naruto replied, "Everything's gonna be-"

As if on cue, three kunai embedded themselves into the tree to their left. Naruto whipped his head around, just as someone landed a few metres away.

It was a boy, about Naruto's age, maybe a little older. He had long brown hair that fell down his back, and a black Konoha forehead protector with a pair of thin straps hanging down either side of his face. His eyes were incredibly pale, and apparently they didn't have any pupils. His skin was also very pale, that and his eyes gave him the look of a dead body, though his skin maybe wasn't that _pale_. But that's what the eyes felt like, the sort of deadened look that Naruto had never seen in someone of that age before.

He wore a khaki shirt, with a collar similar to Naruto's, and several straps across the chest and sleeves, making it look oddly like a straight jacket. He also wore dark brown shorts, and for some reason he had his right arm and leg wrapped in bandages. He stared at Naruto, hard, but stoically.

"Let the girl go." he ordered, his fingers tightening around the shuriken in his hand. Naruto's grip on Aiko tightened, and he glared at the boy in front of him.

"Why should I?" he asked, "Why have you come here?"

"We learned that some missing-nin were taking refuge here." the boy replied, "I'll say it one more time, let the girl go."

Naruto grunted angrily, before slowly lowering Aiko to the ground.

"Big brother!" Aiko cried, keeping a tight grip on Naruto's neck, even as her feet touched the ground.

"It's ok Aiko-chan." Naruto said, as he formed a hand sign. He summoned a Kage Bunshin, who picked Aiko up, before running off.

"Big brother!" Aiko cried again, holding her hand out to him as she disappeared into the trees. Naruto straightened up, facing the boy across from him. It was clear that he was already in a fight, but there was just one thing he needed.

"I've not been in too many fights, so I'm still learning about the rules of combat." he said, as he took his stance, "We're supposed to tell each other our names right? I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"Battle etiquette?" the boy said, with an almost surprised look, "If what you say is true, then there is no reason to indulge myself in such mannerisms to a weakling such as yourself. However, giving that you are willing to face an opponent who managed to catch you off guard, I will humour you."

The boy then took on his own stance, and an unusual one at that. He stood so that Naruto was to his left, holding out his left hand with his palm facing Naruto, while his right hand was held level to his shoulder, and dead straight. His legs were parted, and his eyes fixed on Naruto.

"You may call me…" he said, as his eyes narrowed, "Hyuga Neji."


	15. The fox and the bird

Fixed after a sharp eyed reviewer pointed out that there was one too many strikes on Neji's part. Looks like I'm getting better with these scenes, I'm able to make them last longer now. Well, this training trip's coming to an end, we'll be getting back to the plot very soon. I'm sure you're all glad to hear that, I bet this felt like a load of filler or something (hopefully not the "something"). Anyway, just a note, spelling mistakes are usually the fault of my fast typing and the autocorrect. It's a bitch, but I need it for the longer jutsu names and stuff.

Disclaimer: What do you get when you take a pee in the middle of the city Dundee? A fine for public indecency that you'll add to your fucking scrapbook.

* * *

**The fox and the bird**

"You may call me…" he said, as his eyes narrowed, "Hyuga Neji."

Naruto could feel the growing sense of anticipation rising in his gut. For reasons he couldn't quite understand, he knew very well that this person, Neji, was on a whole other level than him. He wasn't sure what it was, Neji released no killer intent at all. It seemed more like shrewd confidence, like this person already knew the outcome of the battle, step for step.

Those cold eyes, twin pools of suffocating indifference. They watched Naruto, almost laughing at him, but at the same time looking down on him piteously. Naruto felt like he was being studied, like under this single glance, Neji could see everything about him, where he'd been and where he was going. It was maddening to be under the view of someone so sure of themselves, and so sure of _him_.

Naruto grinded his teeth, his hands curling into fists as he glared back at this boy, who seemed something other than human. It was strange, just the gaze of this person made his blood boil, that cruel look of complete certainty, it was like… it was like…

It was like he was under the eyes of fate itself.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Naruto demanded, through gritted teeth, "You think you've already won this?"

A slow smirk spread across Neji's lips, as the effect he'd had on so many opponents before occurred once again. He viewed this boy, this _Uzumaki Naruto _with ironic interest. His bared teeth, his shrunken pupils, his clenched fists. Neji didn't even need to analyse this brat to know exactly what he was thinking. He knew exactly what was going to happen.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled, as three copies of himself flickered into existence. Then, as one, the four Naruto's charged at Neji, spreading out to fill his field of vision. He didn't show the slightest concern, as he slowly raised his open palm into a single seal.

"Byakugan!" he called. Naruto's brow rose in shock as the veins at Neji's temples bulged, and seemed to crawl towards his eyes, where a faint outline of a pupil came into view, also marked with the thin veins of his eyes. But Naruto didn't want to wait to find out what he was doing, that feeling he had gotten at first seemed to be growing, and he hated it.

He lashed out with his fist, aiming to break Neji's nose in a single punch. The other clones made their attacks as well, a sweep kick, a punch to the gut and a drop kick to the shoulder. Neji's smirk grew further.

He sliced the air with his bandaged hand, striking the throat of the clone aiming for his stomach. He then used the momentum from that attack to grab the original Naruto's arm and throw him over his shoulder, straight into the clone attacking from above. He then finished the move by hopping over the final clones sweep kick, turning in the air, grabbing the clones leg and thrusting his open palm into its face.

In the space of three seconds, three puffs of smoke took the place of the clones, and Naruto hit the dirt with a dull thud. Neji returned to his stance effortlessly, facing the downed Naruto with cool confidence.

"I will have to ask you to get serious." Neji said, as he looked down at the dog before him, "Otherwise I will take offence."

Naruto growled, getting back to his feet and facing Neji. It looked like his reactions were pretty fast, and his senses were strong as well. But that didn't mean he was willing to give up, he had one thing that he couldn't block with his hands. He reached up behind him, and began to slip his fingers around Ekokaeten's hilt.

"Hold on! Not yet!"

Naruto blinked in surprise, his hand releasing the hilt. His look caused Neji to narrow his eyes. He had lowered his stance, preparing for a counter should Naruto decide to use that katana. But then Naruto reacted like that, as if he had heard something just now. But Neji knew it was impossible, there was no one around to speak and Naruto did not have a transceiver on him, so there was no one to give him instruction. Then why was his expression like that? Why did he appear to be listening to someone? But the bigger question was how.

"_With these eyes, I can see every angle of you." _Neji thought, _"You are making no physical contact with that katana, so how are you channelling chakra into it?"_

"Just give it a little time, I'm working on something here."

Naruto hesitated for just a moment longer, before lowering his gaze and returning his focus to Neji, who's lips parted as his jaw tightened.

"Why do you falter?" he asked, as he started to get a feeling of anticipation. That katana was drawing his attention, he had to force himself to look at Naruto, "Draw your blade, if you think it will help!"

"Sorry, but it looks like I don't need it." Naruto replied, forming his hand seal, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

This time he summoned six clones, before all of them, including himself, ran off in different directions.

Neji didn't make any effort to try and follow the Naruto's, not even turning his head to look at them. Even from the distance, that drove Naruto crazy. But what hit his nerves even harder was when Neji dropped his stance, standing straight. It was like he wasn't even trying anymore, as if he'd forgotten Naruto was there. No way was he getting away with that.

Naruto crouched down in the bushes, his eyes fixed upon Neji as he watched in silence. He could almost smell the boy, even then there was the stifling arrogance that drove him to feral desires. He was aware of the presence of the Kage Bunshin, he even spotted one to the distance, among the branches of the trees at the opposite side of Neji. It seemed like he was surrounded, why wasn't he doing anything?

"_This cocky bastard." _Naruto thought, as he edged to the left, _"I'm gonna rip you apart!"_

He crept out of the bushes, heading behind a tree for cover. He slowly slunk forward, keeping himself as low as possible as he headed for the next tree. The Kage Bunshin all around did the same, their circle tightening around Neji. But Naruto was beginning to feel uneasy, why the hell was he just standing there?

Naruto tensed as Neji moved, resuming his stance. He was lower this time, with both arms almost completely outstretched in either direction. Had he spotted them? Naruto peered out from the other side, looking at Neji's fa- that mother-

"_He's got his eyes closed!" _Naruto thought, his inner voice nearly screaming in anger. A couple of the other clones saw it as well, and their expressions matched his own. The clones behind Neji however, were clueless, and just looked to the others strangely, _"That's it, now's our chance!"_

The seven Naruto's leapt out of cover in unison, jumping high into the air. Each one of them reached into their weapons holster and grabbed a kunai in one hand, three shuriken with the other. They then as one threw their bladed projectiles at Neji, the wind whistling through the holes in the metal. As this happened, the Naruto's landed on the ground, charging at Neji to finish the job their weapons were about to do.

"Hakkesho…" Neji called, as he dragged one foot around, spinning around, "Kaiten!"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, but it was about all he could manage to do. Neji continued to spin around, his very body melding with the air at the intense speed. Chakra exuded from him, and followed his rotation, transforming into a violent torrent of blue. He made his third spin, and the chakra became a sphere surrounding him. The kunai and shuriken struck the dome of chakra, and ricocheted off in the direction the chakra was flowing, hitting two of the Kage Bunshin and immediately destroying them. But they weren't unfortunate, Naruto and the four remaining clones had been too close, with too much momentum to stop. The clones dispersed almost upon contact, but Naruto was left to feel the full force as his face grinded against a solid wall of chakra.

"HAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!" he screamed, as he felt the skin on his left cheek scrape away. He was then thrown back, tossed through the air like a twig in a gale, and sent rolling across the ground in a heap. Neji came to a stop, now standing in a smoking crater of crushed dirt.

"I would advise against sneak attacks." he said, looking at the fallen Naruto, "With my Byakugan, I possess three hundred and sixty degree vision. I can see everything around me, including your _exact _position."

Naruto leant on his elbow, pushing himself up to look at Neji. It seemed the Hyuga had grown bored of waiting for Naruto's attacks, he was now running towards Naruto, who's eyes were fixed to Neji's

"Finally gonna fight huh?" Naruto asked, jumping to his feet. His cheek stung like hell, and his left eye was watering heavily, but Naruto blinked it away. He then shook his head, before running to meet Neji, accepting his challenge.

Of course, Naruto was the first to attack. He swiped at Neji's head with his right hand, throwing his entire shoulder into it. Neji ducked under and leant to his left, before reaching up and jabbing Naruto just beneath the shoulder blade.

"Gah!" Naruto cried out, twitching from the sudden pain. He then lashed out with a backhand, following up with a spinning kick of his left leg. But Neji simply did the same thing, ducking under again. But this time he reached up with his right hand and jabbed Naruto's forearm, before spinning around and using the momentum to strike Naruto's leg and knock him off balance. He then continued the motion, performing a full rotation followed up by a jab to Naruto's third right rib and just above his pelvis. Naruto grunted again, before stepping back.

"_Just throwing my fists around isn't gonna work!" _he thought, as his right leg touched the ground, _"This guy's so fast, I'm gonna need to up my game!"_

"Keep it up Naruto! I don't need much longer!"

"I don't have much of a choice!" Naruto replied, as he trusted his right fist at Neji, who effortlessly stepped out of its way, passing Naruto unharmed. Naruto grinned, he reached out with his left hand and grabbed his right, using the force to thrust his elbow back into Neji's side.

"Oof!" Neji grunted, though his motion resisted most of the damage, "A feint? Glad to see you are finally putting effort in!"

He responded by another pair of jabs to Naruto's back, his fingers stabbing into Naruto's muscles, and inflicting sharper pain than they should have. Naruto groaned again, before turning to face Neji.

"Is that all you're gonna do?" he asked, as Neji took his stance some more, "Why don't you quit playing around?!"

Neji smirked again, his eyes narrowing. From his position, he was looking up at Naruto, who was taking a step back in preparation for his attack.

"As you wish." Neji replied, "Hakke Rokujuyon Sho!"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as Neji lunged towards Naruto, jabbing out with his fingers. Naruto prepared to take the attack, so he could counter with his own.

"Two strikes!" Neji called, jabbing Naruto in the chest twice.

"Gwah!" Naruto cried out, as he was struck harder than he anticipated and was forced to step back. Before he could recuperate, Neji was before him again.

"Four strikes! Eight strikes! Sixteen strikes!"

By now his arms were a blur, and the stabbing sensation running through Naruto left him too stunned to react. There was no longer a pause between the attacks, they came in a steady wave. The only things his sense could give him were the pain, and the feeling as his arms, legs, head, everything was thrown around, and left hanging limply. He saw Neji's face, the smirk was gone, and replaced with etched concentration.

"Thirty-two strikes!" he called, before Naruto's arms and torso jolted, it felt like being hit with dozens of shuriken, even the points he wasn't hitting still stung crazily, his nerve cells tearing themselves apart, "Sixty four strikes!"

"Ga-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah!" Naruto cried out, as the final barrage of darting jabs forced his entire body to tremble against his will. Neji ended the attack by thrusting both his open palms into Naruto's chest. His breath was forced out of his lungs as he was once again thrown back, but this time by an even greater force than the Hakkesho Kaiten. He flew through the air, his arms and legs stiffened from the muscles spasms of the attacks. He crashed through the branches of a tree, the twigs and boughs cutting and scraping him as he fell through. His left shoulder glanced off one of the boughs, sending shockwaves through his body and turning him through his descent. He left the web of wood and dropped straight to the ground, not even bouncing as he struck dirt.

Naruto stared down into the grass and ground his thoughts as shallow as his breaths. His mind could go nowhere other than the pain he was feeling, and at the same time how numb his body seemed to be. He could feel blood trickling down his face, and the wound on his cheek had split open, all he could smell was the iron in his own blood, and all he could taste was that and the dirt he inhaled upon impact.

"Na…to! Naru… re you… ight?"

Eko's voice faded in and out of comprehension, all he could really hear was the high pitched ringing in both ears, but little bits were breaking through.

"Eko… kun." he muttered, before breaking down into a fit of coughs.

"You gotta get up!"

Naruto had his hand pressed against his mouth, trying desperately not to inhale more dirt. It came as a surprise to him that he managed that much, was this really as bad as he felt?

"_I guess I don't get in enough fights." _he thought, as he placed his hand on the ground, _"I can't go down like this."_

As he feebly pushed himself up, Neji watched him with faint amusement. He had a pretty good idea what was next, and was just waiting to answer the upcoming question.

Naruto knelt on the ground, his hand in his knee for support. He then pressed his other hand on the tree to his right, and pulled himself to his feet. He swayed lightly as he removed his hand, he was seeing two more Neji's than he should, but he doubted this guy knew the Kage Bunshin. He however, did.

"Kage… Bunshin no… Jutsu." he gasped, with his hands in the necessary seal. But something was wrong, nothing was happening. He tried again, focusing harder and even more so. But still, all that there was, was a battered Naruto standing with his hands in crossed single seals.

"_My… my chakra!" _he thought, his eyes widening, _"I can't feel my chakra!"_

He looked up at Neji, who was smirking back at him. He raised his hands, holding them in the same way he did while making his attacks, with his fore and middle fingers outstretched.

"Juken." he said, "Otherwise known as the "Gentle Fist". With my Byakugan I can see your entire chakra pathway. And with the Juken, I can seal your chakra away!"

Naruto stared, his lips parting and his arms falling. His chakra… it was sealed away? Then… he didn't have his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, or any of his Jutsu for that matter. But he knew he didn't have the strength to go on-

"Shut up!" he told himself, in anger, "I'm not quitting now!"

He took a step forward, but immediately tripped over a root, falling to the ground once more. The pain rang dully through him, and he was winded once more. Neji shook his head, feeling nothing but faint pity for the failure in front of him. He took his time in walking towards Naruto, his Byakugan fading away, as he set out to finish the job.

Naruto stared out to the setting sun, the blood trickling down his face was making his skin itch like crazy, but he hadn't the energy to do anything about it. He looked at the red half orb, and the crimson sky above. He smiled to himself, what a strange coincidence.

"_It's almost like the sky is bleeding as well." _he thought, as everything faded in and out of focus, _"It's gonna be night soon. Everything's gonna be pretty dark. I wonder if I'll get to see the sun rise again tomorrow? That's be nice."_

_Thud._

Naruto frowned in confusion. Something had just fallen before him, was Neji taunting him by going down to eye level? He doubted it, he didn't seem like that sort of person. This was a different shape from his entirely, smaller, and rounder. His fading vision made it difficult to focus on this strange thing, but it kind of looked like-

Naruto's eyes widened, his jaw opening as a look of complete horror dawned on his face. It was Aiko. It was Aiko!

She stared back at him, blood trickling down her temple, rolling bask her unseeing eyes. Her lips were parted, like she wanted to say something, but no voice came out. She lay with her tiny hand on the ground, a look of surprise on her little face. Naruto stared back at her, his eyes, and his mouth, both widening until it looked like he was screaming.

* * * * *

_Drip._

…

…

…

_Drip._

"Hm?" groaned an impossibly deep voice, echoing around that lightless place and reverberating back to the owner. In the midst of this eternal midnight, a single eye hazily opened, "Did something happen?"

_Drip._

"Ah!" the voice gasped, the eye widening. That sound, what was that? So melodic, it cast throughout that place and passed straight through. He could see it, that faint droplet casting down from above, that fell down to the ground below, and sending ripples across the surface of what lay along the bottom. That was really a surprise, recollection invited no memory of there being anything on the floor before, "I can see…"

* * * * *

Naruto's hand on the ground tightened their grip, dragging the earth under his extending, claw-like nails. He gripped the grit, his jaw slackening but his eyes widening even further, contorting into an expression of pure, unfiltered rage.

Neji faltered for a moment, what was this feeling? With growing uncertainty, he raised his hand in a seal and activated his Byakugan, the veins growing once more and his own eyes widening as the pupils became partially visible.

They shrank.

"Im- impossible!" he breathed, watching as chakra burned with in Naruto, blazing from none of the coils in his body, and completely filling him, like a flood of fire. He could see the chakra streaming out of him, evaporating into the air as a red mist, what seemed to overflow from the rippling form before him. It seemed like that chakra, if it even was chakra, caused an almost heat-haze effect, the air around Naruto was a rippling pond, and the boy seemed caught in the middle of it.

His hair seemed to flow slightly, as if it had static running through it. His nails also seemed to extend and sharpen, tiny blades at the end of each finger. He then, with some difficulty, pushed himself to his feet, his breathing growing heavier, but faster at the same time. For some reason, he stood, but not upright. He was hunched over, staring- _glaring _at Neji through eyes he had never seen before. Those scarlet irises, fluctuating from colour to crimson, maroon, and back again, like waves crashing against the walls of his sclera. His pupils stretched out, turning into the valley, the abyss that the bloody tide flowed from. His teeth bared, the canines slowly extended into a four lethal looking fangs, ready to tear apart anything they may come into contact with. Even those absurd markings on his cheeks seemed to become bestial, several more thin lines appearing around each one, resembling a claw that had slashed his face and left a burning scar behind. Everything about Naruto, appeared the epitome of bestiality.

"Hrrrh…" Naruto growled, his curled fingers held out at his side, twitching uncontrollably as they clawed at the air. Eko seemed to be affected by this surge as well, but not quite in the same way.

"WHOA! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!!!"

Naruto grabbed Ekokaeten's hilt and tore him from his sheath, gripping him in one hand.

"Whoa, not so hard!"

"Sorry." Naruto growled, his eyes fixed on Neji, "But I'm gonna go all out on this guy, so I might be a bit rough."

"Heh heh heh, got you covered!"

Naruto glanced at Eko with a cocked eyebrow. The other one soon followed.

Eko was ablaze, the blade literally ignited with searing flames burning just as furiously as Naruto. He didn't know why this was happening, but his mind was too preoccupied to see it as anything other than an even better way for tearing Neji apart. He grinned a feral smile, as he held the burning sword aside. He then returned his gaze to Neji, who seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Bad move." Naruto snarled, before dashing forward. His feet pounded against the ground, Eko's tip dragging across the dirt and smouldering leaves. Neji snapped out of his fix just as Naruto lunged at him, grabbing Eko with his other hand and swinging downwards. Neji reacted just in time, thrusting both his palms into Naruto's gut and pumping his chakra into them. Naruto was launched back, but he barely seemed to notice the strike. He turned in the air and lashed out with his right hand, his nails clawing at the tree he was in the midst of passing. Then with his chakra, he used the momentum to drag himself around the trunk, tearing the bark across in the process. Then when he came around the other side, he threw Eko straight at Neji, the scorching sword flying straight towards the heart of his target.

"Hakkesho Kaiten!" Neji called, as he initiated the dome of chakra again. The spinning mass of blue energy shielded him from Eko's strike, the blade bouncing off and spinning in the air. But Naruto, who made himself airborne after throwing Ekokaeten, grabbed it by the hilt and slashed downwards, landing directly in front of the barrier and forcing Eko's blade against it. Sparks screeched and danced through the air as fiery metal and tormenting chakra met each other head on.

"Hey Naruto, you wanna show? Give me some of that chakra!"

"Got it!" Naruto replied, pumping this strange chakra into the katana.

"WOOH YEAH! TIME TO LIGHT THINGS UP!"

The fire on Eko's blade began to burn brighter, and seemed to be billowing to the right, in the same direction as the Hakkesho Kaiten. Then, almost a second later, the fore erupted, pouring over the field of chakra and dragging along with it, covering the dome and spiralling upwards. Both Naruto's eyes and grin widened as he watched a tornado of crimson fire burst into life, instantly reducing the branches above to ashes before the trees even had a chance to ignite. The searing heat that consumed the air around, it was incredible!

"YA-YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAH! THANK YOU NAOMI!!!"

Inside the Hakkesho Kaiten, Neji was now forced to continue his Jutsu, stopping would only cause the flames to fall upon him. His Byakugan allowed him to see outside, Naruto's grin wasn't a victorious one. It was one of pure maliciousness, excitement like Neji had never seen before. And the fluctuation of chakra coming from that katana, and the nature of this fire, it couldn't be Katon alone. There was definitely Futon chakra fuelling the flames, but to be so strong… had he underestimated this opponent?

"_I cannot keep this up for much longer!" _he thought, as the air around him grew thinner and the temperature rose at a painful rate. He knew the moment he ran out of energy and stopped his rotation, he would be left vulnerable to an instant attack that this insane person would not hesitate to take. He tried desperately to think of an escape plan, though he hated to admit he'd need one. He couldn't use a smoke bomb, the Futon chakra would blow it away. Explosive tags were useless, and he couldn't even try throwing kunai, he couldn't guarantee accuracy because of the flames, _"Of course! He cannot see through all that fire!"_

He continued the rotation as he considered his next move carefully. His chakra stores were almost depleted, his Hakkesho Kaiten used up so much. He doubted he would even be able to use his Byakugan if he kept this up much longer. But he only had one shot.

"Dainamikku Entorii!"

"_What?!" _Neji thought, his eyes narrowing as he saw a form appear in his Byakugan, a tall man in a green jumpsuit appeared from nowhere, striking Naruto with a flying kick to the side of his head and sending the boy crashing literally into a tree, _"Gai-sensei!"_

The flames subsided, and he stopped the rotation, breathing heavily and stumbling forward. He had never used that Jutsu for so long before, and was quite… _affected _by it. He fell to his hands and knees as the world spun around, he closed his eyes to maintain his sense of balance. After several moments, he opened them again and raised his head.

Before him stood the man he called Gai-sensei, who looked down at his student with his incredibly thick black brows creased in a frown. His bowl cut seemed dishellved, and there were the beginnings of bruises on his right cheek and left eye. He looked down at Neji with his broad grin, his pearly whites glistening in the setting sun.

"Time for a retreat Neji-kun!" he said, as he crouched down to support his student, "It seems we underestimated our opponent!"

Neji didn't resist as he was lifted to his feet, his eyes were fixed upon Naruto, who was lying on the ground, unconscious. Two other figures appeared behind him, and he looked back, his eyes narrowing at his team mates. That exact duplicate of Gai, with stupidly round eyes, Rock Lee, stared at Neji, shocked to see him looking so exhausted. His other team mate, a girl with brown eyes and hair, tied into twin buns. Her pink jacket was covered in dirt and had small cuts, she was in the worst condition of all of them. Neji turned away, he hated to be seen like this in front of these three. He instead looked back at Naruto, who seemed absolutely unaware at this time.

"_It seems… that you have won this round." _he thought, before he and his team quickly left, leaping up to the trees, _"…Uzumaki Naruto."_

* * * * *

Naruto slowly opened his eyes, feeling like he had been lying on the road in the middle of a stampede. Almost every muscle in his body ached, as if reminding him how careless he had been. That not so gentle reminder that he was in a fight made him snap up, looking around wildly.

"_Huh?" _Naruto thought, raising his brow in surprise, _"Where am I?"_

He was laying in a bed, in a small room that looked like it belonged to a child. The walls were painted a soft shade of pink, and the quilt cover he lay under was a peach shade, though both were dimmed in the darkness of night, the only light source coming from the open door leading to the hall. A chest of drawers resting along the wall next to the foot of the bed held several stuffed animals atop it, bears, lambs, kittens, it was a menagerie of soft things that would never be found in Naruto's room. But as he looked around, he faintly remembered this room, it belonged to…

"Aiko…" he croaked, his gaze dropping to his lap. His eyes then widened in shock as he realised it was occupied by the very person he'd just mentioned, "Aiko?"

The little girl's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at Naruto blearily.

"Big…" she began in a quiet voice, before her eyes snapped open, "Big brother!"

She jumped onto the bed and wrapped her arms as far around Naruto's stomach as she could reach, hugging him as tightly as she could. Naruto stared down at her in shock, she was alright?

He suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming from the hall, and raised his head just as Naomi entered the room.

"You're finally awake." she said, smiling warmly at him. Naruto blinked in surprise, had he missed something?

"What's going on?" he asked, as Naomi walked over and crouched beside him, "I thought I was…"

"You were knocked out by the enemy as they came for their comrade." Naomi explained, looking up at him with shining eyes, "Thank you… for getting Aiko away before you…"

She left her sentence hanging as she too pulled Naruto into a hug, placing his head in her shoulder. Naruto was seriously taken off guard by this, was he maybe still unconscious?

"Well isn't that sweet?" Kisame asked, leaning on the doorway. Naomi shot him a warning look, to which he raised his hand in peace, "You did a good job Naruto-kun. That idiot wouldn't stop prattling about his "splendid student Hyuga Neji". I'm surprised you managed to hold your own against one of those guys."

Naruto watched as Kisame too walked over, and planted his palm on Naruto's head before whispering into his ear.

"And that chakra of yours… looks like you've got something to thank Itachi-san for." he whispered, before straightening up again, "You get some rest, we're leaving tomorrow."

"No!" Aiko yelped, tightening her grip even harder, "Big brother's staying!"

Naruto looked down at the little girl with a raised brow. Naomi let him go and stood up, before turning and walking out the room with Kisame. She smiled once more at Naruto, before closing the door.

Naruto continued to watch Aiko, who had a stubborn look on her face, buried into Naruto's chest. He laughed lightly, the most he could manage in his state. He placed a hand on the little girls head and lay back down, closing his eyes as he drifted off to sleep.


	16. Returning to the rain

A little shorter than what I've been coming out with recently, but there were some aspects I had to get out, without having enough to make an especially long chapter. Still, it should answer some curiosities, and create a few new ones. Anyway, back to plot next chapter, you'll all be glad to know. And I'll try whip up some surprises that'll get your heads spinning, get back on track y'know?

Disclaimer: Anyone else think the Kisame Kirabi fight ended too quickly? Samehada's betrayal was the only way Kisame could have lost that.

* * *

**Returning to the rain**

Naruto woke up the next morning, feeling the small form of Aiko laying beside him. He smiled down at her, she still clung onto his sleeve even in her dreamy state. He reached up and rubbed his face, realising he had been bandaged up at some point. Now that he looked around, he could see that his jacket and cloak had been removed, and it seemed like almost his entire body had been wrapped in bandages, his legs, arms and torso were covered in a thin amount. He also had cotton pads on his cheek, the wound he'd taken yesterday covered by it. As he tensed and relaxed the muscles on that side of his face, he felt the faint dampness of an ointment underneath, warm from contact with his skin overnight.

He sat up, and Aiko's hold on him fell away, it looked like she must really be out of it. He then got to his feet, managing to do so without waking the little girl. He then left the room and walked into the hallway, listening for the sounds of life. Since there were none, he decided to head into the living room. But upon entry, he found Kisame lying on the floor by the table, his hand behind his head and his sedge hat sitting on his face as he snoozed. Deciding against disturbing him, Naruto slowly slid the door closed.

"Hey Naruto-kun." Kisame muttered, reaching up and taking his sedge hat off. Naruto stopped, looking in as Kisame pulled himself to a sitting position and gestured for him to come in, "That Kyubi's gotta be pretty useful, a kick like that shoulda had you out for at least a day."

"The Kyubi?" Naruto repeated, closing the door behind him, "Is that what that was?"

"Yeah, no mistake." Kisame replied as Naruto sat opposite him, "Samehada was actually getting quite excited."

Naruto vaguely recalled Eko's reaction to the chakra that seemed to explode from within him. But because of the state he was in at the time, his memory was a little hazy. But he did remember what happened last night, and he was curious.

"Hey, what did you mean when you said I should thank Itachi-san?" he asked, leaning forward on the table.

"I thought I sensed something before, and it seems I was right." Kisame replied, with a grin, "He placed a delayed reaction Genjutsu on you."

"A Genjutsu?" Naruto repeated, with a questioning look.

"Can't really elaborate, Genjutsu isn't my specialty." Kisame said, shrugging. Naruto stared for a moment, before letting the thought slip.

"So what happened yesterday?" he asked, resting his chin on the table. Kisame sat back leaning with his hands. He cast a look over Naruto's bandages, before shaking his head.

"I sensed the presence of enemy Shinobi." he said, looking out the window, "But I figured it was just a scouting team, and the rest were coming later. Why else would there be Genin, other than as a distraction?"

Naruto raised his brow in surprise, so Neji was a Genin then? That at least helped him gauge his own strength, especially since Kisame had been impressed that Naruto's opponent had been a Hyuga and the outcome was like that. Although since he didn't really know what to compare a Hyuga to, it didn't mean much in the end.

"It would have been no trouble taking care of those guys on my own, but with Naomi-chan's feelings towards me I thought it best to give her a heads up." Kisame continued, "Looks like I made the right choice, she wasn't as cold as she normally is last night. Although she did forbid me to kill them, that was a pain. She didn't even allow a dismemberment…"

He grumbled that part, and Naruto sighed. Although he'd never seen Kisame in a full on fight, he didn't have any reason to doubt his viciousness.

"What were they doing here?" Naruto asked, straightening up and stretching.

"That green suited freak sure did talk a lot, he really pissed me off." Kisame replied, propping his elbow on the table and resting his head in his palm, "Said they were on an escort mission for a trade caravan when they heard about a boy in a slashed headband jumping across rooftops with a little girl on his back."

He fixed his eyes on Naruto with a cool grin, as Naruto began to sweat nervously.

"And unfortunately, because of that hunter-nin will most probably be heading here soon, so Naomi-chan and dear Aiko will have to leave." Kisame added, his grin turning cruel as Naruto stared, stunned.

Because of him being an idiot… Naomi and Aiko would have to leave their home?

Kisame appeared to be in no mood for a melancholy Naruto, he reached over and rapped his knuckles against his student's head.

"Hey, snap out of it." he said, sitting back again, "You actually did them a favour, or little Aiko at least."

"Huh? What makes you say that?" Naruto asked, with a confused look.

"Aiko can't stay up here forever, and those little trips down to the village don't do her much good when they only stay as long as they have to." Kisame replied, with a grin, "Now they're gonna have to travel for a while, to find somewhere safe to be. It gives Aiko a chance to have some fun, see the world and make some friends."

"Who knew you were such a caring uncle?" Naruto asked, grinning back. Kisame's expression faltered for a moment, then he sighed.

""What can I say?" he asked, "The kid's grown on me."

"Well hopefully the feeling isn't mutual." Naomi replied, walking into the room. Naruto looked up at her, both a surprised and sad look on his face.

"Naomi-sensei… I'm sorry about all this, it's my fault." he said, bowing his head in shame. Naomi watched him closely, before sitting down between him and Kisame.

"Naruto-kun, I'm not even thinking about that." she said, resting her arms on the table, "To tell the truth, I was being so cautious that I only brought attention to myself and Aiko. This was bound to happen eventually, I'm just glad we… you got Aiko out of the way before she could see something that I don't ever want her to."

Naruto stared at Naomi, who had her eyes fixed to the table. He didn't exactly feel like he'd done good, more like he was just correcting his own mistakes. But he had a strange feeling these two weren't going to let him see it like that.

Kisame then let out one more drawn out sigh, before pushing himself to his feet.

"Well, better to leave now while you can still think fondly of us." he said, placing the sedge hat on his head. Naruto and Naomi both looked up at him with raised brows.

"So soon?" Naomi asked, "Aiko won't be happy with that."

"I don't think she'd really be happy in any case." Naruto replied, getting to his own feet, "And besides, it might be hard to leave if she starts cryin'."

Naomi let out a sharp exhale, a small, silent laugh, before smiling.

"Yeah, you're probably right." she said, standing. Naruto looked around, and Kisame opened his cloak, handing Ekokaeten back to him. Naruto grinned, taking the katana back.

"Yo, how's it going beast boy?"

Naruto laughed a little, before following Kisame and Naomi to the door. On a peg to the left, Naruto's jacket and cloak were hung up. He was about to reach out to them, when to his surprise Naomi beat him to hit. He watched with a raised brow as she put his jacket on him and helped to strap Eko to his back. She then put the cloak around him, fastening it perfectly. When she was done, she patted his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Ok, good to go." she said, taking a step back. Naruto smiled at her, before Kisame handed him his sedge hat. He placed it on and turned as Kisame opened the door. A breeze blew through and caused Naruto's cloak to swish in the wind, adding undue drama to his departure. He followed Kisame out into the garden, when Naomi asked him something.

"You want me to pass something onto Aiko?" she asked, resting her hand on the doorframe, "It would be easier to calm her down."

Naruto looked back questioningly, before thinking for just a moment. He then grinned broadly, as the win blew through his cloak and hair.

"Just tell her there's some stuff I gotta fix!" he said, before waving and running after Kisame, who hadn't stopped. Naomi smiled again as they disappeared, before closing the door.

* * * * *

Konan opened the door, walking into the dark room. The lonely shadows felt so empty, so lost in this place. The light that reached the centre of the room, they seemed to recoil away shyly.

A cold breeze came through the opening, as the clouds played their music, with the earth as their instrument.

She stepped towards the window, looking through with an expression of faint interest. Her brow then rose, as she saw Pein lying on the tongue of the statue, the rain falling upon him. He had his hand behind his head, and a small smile on his face. Konan coughed lightly, and Pein looked up at her questioningly.

"Is there something the matter?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"No." Konan replied, looking away, "Just that…"

"Is it strange, to see this face in way like that?" Pein asked, standing beside her, leaning on the wall, "To see this face seemingly enjoying the rain?"

Konan turned her head further away, not wanting to make eye contact. She seemed almost ashamed, but she knew she couldn't lie.

"Yes…" she replied, fumbling her hands uncomfortably. Pein smiled down at her, with a knowing look.

"You wish to preserve the image of him." he noted, with a sort of glint in his eyes, "You wanted to forever see him the way he was."

Konan didn't reply, she didn't know what to say. Pein's smile spread a little, and he reached out with his arms. Konan's eyes widened as he put them around her neck, holding her from behind.

"If you like… I could be him for you." he said, as his smile curved to one side. Konan looked down to the hands in front of her, slowly raising her own to him. She had a look on her face, like the thought was running through her mind outside of her control. She placed her hands on his, and pushed them away.

"Please don't say such things." she said, walking towards the door. Pein dropped his hands, watching her as the light of the hallway filled the room.

"Naruto-san will be coming back soon." he said, "Make sure to have him sent up after he's had a chance to rest."

Konan faltered for a moment, before nodding. She closed the door behind her, leaving Pein on his own. He let out a small chuckle, before removing his sodden cloak.

"You never change." he said, as he dropped the soaked garb on the floor, "And you never will."

* * * * *

Naruto and Kisame had long since left Naomi's home, and were now getting some last minute training done across a wide open plain, where mountains rested off to the distance. It was hard work being so beautiful after all.

There was a river far off to the left, between the two of them and the mountains at the horizon. The water roared in the opposite direction, heading back the way they had come. Naruto smiled, it must have been bad in Amegakure!

Kisame, who had cut down a smallish tree and dragged it over, looked down at Naruto with his smile, smirking himself.

"Something on your mind "big brother Naruto"?" he asked. Naruto looked up at him, smirking equally.

"Not really." he replied, "Just glad she didn't think I was her cousin."

Kisame laughed, thumping Naruto on the back with an open palm. Once Naruto was back on his feet, he started laughing as well, rubbing his back softly. It wasn't until his finger got caught in one of the many tears that he realised just how rough this training trip had been.

"Do these things get replaced?" Naruto asked, after avoiding creating a larger rip.

"Hm?" Kisame muttered, "Uh, yeah, sure."

That was good, though Naruto was a little disappointed. He'd hoped this one would last, but after Haku, Neji and everything else, it was in tatters. He looked far from presentable, but as luck would have it he wasn't intending on meeting any Daimyo's anytime soon, so he decided to forget about it for now.

"So where we going now?"

"Amegakure." Kisame replied, to Eko's question. But it didn't seem like much of an answer, not to Eko anyway.

"Amegakure?"

"A small village located between the lands of Earth, Wind and Fire." Kisame replied, before pulling Samehada out, "Now lets start with some grooves."

Naruto nodded, pulling Eko out of his sheath. He and Kisame both held their blades above the fallen tree, and Naruto copied Kisame's movements as he cut through the tree. His arms were raised over his shoulders as he dragged the tip of the blade across the bark.

"Alright, make sure you slice it right." Kisame continued. He wasn't actually doing any cutting, Samehada wasn't that sort of blade after all, "You'll need a deep groove tonight."

He watched as Naruto scarred the tree, drawing Eko's tip across the bark almost randomly. Kisame sighed, before standing next to his pupil and gripping the hilt of Eko as well.

"Not like that." he said, as he demonstrated, "Let this groove get you to move, alright?"

Naruto frowned, nodding. Kisame let go, and stepped back to see how Naruto did now. He watched closely, the kid was doing better now.

"Let it set in your shoes, alright?" he said, folding his arms. Naruto nodded again, his primary focus on the tree before him. He then crouched down to get a better look at what he was doing, "Hey, stand up!"

"Alright!" Naruto replied, quickly getting back to his feet, "You gonna tell me what I can do with this?"

"You're looking good." Kisame muttered, as he came closer to study the groove down to the bottom, "It's out of sight, you're moving yourself wrong. You have to glide, here let me show you."

He took Eko from Naruto, who stepped back to watch this time. Kisame bent his knees, standing sidelong to the tree with Ekokaeten held horizontally. He then leaned forward, and in a smooth motion he cut into the tree, pulling back without gaining or losing speed.

"You're gonna need to do it like that, or you'll just lose yourself." Kisame said, straightening up and handing Eko back to Naruto, "That happens in a fight, you'll lose yourself among the clouds in the heavens."

Naruto frowned up at Kisame, what the hell was he talking about? He decided not to ask though, and continued with his work.

"It's just like making a fire." Kisame said, "Let the groove light up your fuse, alright?"

"_Whatever that means." _Naruto thought, but he thought better than to say that aloud. He had a feeling his sensei was mocking him somehow.

* * * * *

Neji walked through the Hyuga compound, having just returned from his mission. As he walked, he kept his gaze steady, not looking in any direction other than his destination. However, from the corner of his eye he saw that many of the other Hyuga, his fellow Branch members, watched him as he passed. He didn't need to look to see that their white eyes were looking at him with the respect they would give to any genius. He knew very well that if he were to look, that would be _all _that he would see. They had given up pity a long time ago.

As he passed the largest home of the Hyuga compound, belonging to the Main household, Neji felt a different pair of eyes on him. He already knew who they belonged to, but nonetheless he turned, looking up into a single window of the building where members of the Main household resided. He looked Hyuga Hiashi in the eye, a feat that only he would get away with, and bowed. Even as he rose, he already knew Hiashi was gone, not caring to watch him any further.

He continued on his way, walking into an empty street as he made his way home. This place, even the architecture of the Hyuga compound was blandly done, a lot of beige and khaki. It seemed to Neji that even those colours were forced upon them, the walls reminding him of the blank eyes his clansmen all shared. However, there was the faintest irregularity in this place that Neji immediately picked up on. He felt his back straighten, as he realised he was being watched. But he didn't break pace, or give any signs of having noticed someone was around otherwise. But he did make a very sharp turn as he headed not to the stairs of his apartment, but to an alleyway up ahead to the left. He turned into it, a border wall on his left and a house on his right. He stood in the shadows, apparently completely alone. Despite this, he lowered himself down onto one knee, bowing his head respectfully.

"The Hyuga are always so polite." Neji heard, as a pair of sandals appeared before him, "It's something I've always liked about your clan, Neji-kun."

Neji remained with his head bowed, knowing h shouldn't raise it without permission. However, the slightest touch to his head gave him that order, and he slowly got back to his feet, looking at the person before him.

"I am to understand things didn't go so well on your last mission?" the person who received such respect asked, with an amused tone.

"Our sensei made the foolish mistake of chasing after some missing-nin." Neji replied, standing to attention, "And the enemy I was faced with possessed abilities of the likes I had never seen before?"

"Really?" the person asked, a smile spreading across his pale, lipless mouth, "And who was this person?"

"He went by the name of Uzumaki Naruto." Neji replied, without hesitation. The man before him raised his brow in pleasant surprise, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Uzumaki you say?" he muttered, with a strange glint in his eyes, eyes that had seen such wondrous things, their golden sheen reflected that, with the black serpentine slits of pupils, "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while."

"If I may, Orochimaru-sama, when we were fighting, he went through a change." Neji said, "His eyes, greatly resembled your own."

"My own?" Orochimaru repeated, with a curious look. Neji immediately bowed his head.

"It was face value only, I assure you." he said, "Although they resemble yours, he was but a beast. A wild dog."

Orochimaru watched Neji with interest, chuckling quietly. Neji didn't respond, it wasn't his place to.

"Remove your headband for me, if you please." Orochimaru said. Of course, Neji didn't deny him, he reached behind his head and untied to knot holding the forehead protector in place. He then gripped it in one hand, letting it fall to his side as he lowered his arms. Orochimaru took a step forward, reaching up and touching Neji's forehead. Neji didn't respond, he stood silently as Orochimaru studied the seal upon his forehead.

"It appears to have developed nicely." he said, lowering his hand, "You've been training with it?"

"It has been a great help, Orochimaru-sama." Neji replied, bowing his head. Orochimaru's smile spread further, he brushed some of his long black hair away from his face

"Kukuku, it won't be long until it is time for you to receive _that_."

Neji didn't reply, but he knew that was important. He reached up and replaced his headband, the metal disguise of Konoha covering the tree black tomoe on his forehead.

* * * * *

Naruto lay exhausted, his arms killing him. The tree next to him was now in two pieces, a vertical line running straight down it. It had taken about an hour, but it was finally done. He looked over to Kisame, who was sitting on one part of the tree, with a very relaxed look on his face.

"What… was all that for?" Naruto asked, amidst heavy breaths. Kisame eyed him with a smirk, as if it should have been obvious.

"To build upper body strength of course." he said, looking back up to the sky, "It doesn't matter how sharp your blade is, or how skilled you are with it, if your opponent can meet your attack with greater force, you're gonna fold like paper."

"Aw man, that means I'm gonna have to do this again, aren't I?" Naruto asked, with an exhausted look on his face.

"Yep, until it's so easy, it takes you half the time." Kisame replied, getting to his feet, "Now come one, we've still got a way to go before we can call it a night."

Naruto groaned, pulling himself to his feet. It had barely reached midday, but he could sleep for a while. Kisame stepped over the tree, and they continued on their way.

They walked alongside the river, the roaring noise drowning out Naruto's thoughts. All though in all honesty, Naruto didn't really have much on his mind. His sore arms didn't really have anything to do with it, just that the only thing that could come to mind was his destination, but it never led to any certainties. He'd spent a lot of time over the past four weeks thinking about this mission Deva had planned for him.

Kisame reached out from his cloak and held his closed hand out to Naruto, who raised his to accept what ever he was holding, which turned out to be a leaf.

"You're still not done with that." Kisame said, "Let's see if we can't finish this step before we return, alright?"

Naruto sighed in exasperation. He really was exhausted, and now he was gonna have to do this. Great.

Still, he didn't complain. There was nothing wrong with becoming stronger after all, right? So he placed his other hand over the leaf and set to work.


	17. Revelations of a god

Ha-ha! Here we go! Back to plot, and a chapter I'm especially proud of to back it up! Not only did I far exceed my word quota, but - well - there's a lot of unplanned stuff in here. I guess I'll leave you read it, let me know what you tihnk!

Disclaimer: YER-HAH-HAH! I freaking knew Sakura was bull shitting Naruto! And now she's off to murder a certain Uchiha! Priceless! And at least the mad theories of Madara being Danzo will subside, all though I _know_ there's _still_ the _possibility_... sigh.

* * *

**Revelations of a god**

"Man… I wish I could say it's good to be back." Naruto grumbled, as streams of water fell down the edges of his sedge hat, obscuring his vision and covering the grace of the mounds of grey before him.

They were back in Amegakure, and it was just like the first time Naruto had come here. The rain turned the village into a dull mirage, which Naruto kind of wished it really was.

"I don't know what you're complaining about, at least you're short." Kisame replied. Because of his height, he only received so much protection from the rain, the lower half of his cloak was soaked, "Besides, you've got bigger things to think about than that."

Naruto nodded his head, the trickles of water shaking violently. To be honest, he was getting a little tired of thinking about it. He had been brimming with anticipation at the start, but now he wasn't even really curious. Maybe he was just tired; he'd only recently completed the leaf training, and was a little bummed that he couldn't move onto the next stage anytime soon.

"Damn it, what's with this place?"

"It's the Hidden Rain Village, what did you expect?" Kisame asked, glancing at Eko with a cocked brow. Eko didn't reply, but he certainly didn't brighten up.

They reached the base of the tower, and Naruto glanced up, instantly regretting it as he was slapped in the face by a wave from the sky. Kisame paused before entering the building. He turned around and looked at Naruto.

"I'm Shunshining up." he said, as he took Naruto's arm, "Brace yourself."

Naruto did just that, tensing his muscles and closing his eyes. He was suddenly hit by the sound of the rain hitting his sedge hat with even greater force as his feet left the ground. In truth, he wasn't sure he'd ever get the hang of Shunshins. It was just too fast, he got a headache every time they went through it.

At least Kisame wasn't as gruff as he usually was. It felt almost like a straight shoot up as they ascended the tower, and just a few seconds later they landed again, Naruto feeling the floor beneath his feet. Although for a floor it wasn't especially even.

"Good evening leader-sama." Kisame said, bowing his head. Naruto looked up in surprise, Deva stood leaning against the opening, watching the two casually, "Terrible weather we're having, isn't it?"

"The rain is especially fierce today." Deva agreed, gesturing for them to come in. they did just that, and he looked at Naruto with interest as the boy stepped down into the room, "It looks like that training has really had an effect on you."

Naruto blinked, looking up at Deva with a raised brow. Had he really changed that much? Naruto didn't think himself any different than when he left, so what was Deva seeing?

"Your report? Deva asked, and Naruto was taken aback. What report? He knew nothing of a report. However, it seemed he was addressing Kisame, because it was he who replied.

"We travelled along the north border of the Land of Fire." he said, with a small grin, "I gave him some basic Taijutsu training along the way, but I fear he doesn't possess the muscular strength to use what I could teach. So I focused on his chakra control and general stealth techniques, since his small and agile frame means he could easily go undetected, as long as he can hide his chakra. About a week into the training, I took him to a place along the coast between the lands of Fire and Lightning. There, I gave him one of the blades of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."

"Is that so?" Deva asked, with a curious look, "May I see it?"

"Sure." Naruto replied, reaching behind him. He pulled Ekokaeten out one handed, and held the blade horizontally. Deva studied it closely, his concentric circles scanning the katana from tip to hilt.

"An impressive blade." he said, nodding to Naruto, who returned Eko to his sheath. Deva then turned his gaze to Kisame, "Go on."

"As you can guess, I immediately began teaching him Kenjutsu." Kisame continued, "He took to it quite well, I was actually pretty surprised. Of course, it wasn't long after when _that _occurred."

Naruto cringed, knowing what his sensei was talking about. Deva seemed aware of this as well, his expression changed ever so slightly from curiosity to command.

"What happened out there?" he asked, with a steady stare.

"You are probably already aware of this, but it seems that Naruto-kun's name has been added to the bingo book." Kisame replied, with a spreading grin. Naruto looked up at his sensei, this was the first he was hearing of the reason he was captured.

"Bingo book?" he asked, with a creased brow.

"Wanted people are placed in the bingo book." Deva explained, without taking his eyes off Kisame, "They have bounties placed on their heads, and mercenaries seek to capture them."

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small brown book. It was a little worn, but still relatively new looking. He opened it at a dog eared page and held it out to Naruto, who looked at it in interest. He spotted his own name, even though he'd just been told, it was quite a shock. He read on, eager to find out why he was in here.

"_Uzumaki Naruto." _he read, _"Wanted alive. Reward of 3,000,000 ryo upon delivery. Description: Height 145-6 centimetres. Weight 40.1 kilograms. Age 12. Distinguishing features: Blond, unkempt hair. Blue eyes. Three thin lines marking each cheek. Subject suffers from attention deficit disorder and mild schizophrenia."_

Naruto let out a high pitched whistle. There was a lot he could do with three million ryo. He wasn't sure what schizophrenia meant, and he'd skipped over the attention thing. When he'd finished reading he looked back up at Deva, who closed the book and placed it back inside his cloak.

"Anyway, we began to make the journey back, since our next stop was on the way, when we ran into an old friend." Kisame said, moving on, "Momochi Zabuza and his little hunter-nin sidekick. Naruto-kun and I were separated, and this idiot here let himself get defeated by the enemy. Not long afterwards Zabuza-kun disappeared, and I guessed at what had happened. That was when I contacted you, and you can guess the rest of that."

"I don't need to, Itachi-san reported that to me upon his return." Deva replied, before gesturing for Kisame to go on.

"Well, we had lost a few days from that, but we still had time to head to the planned destination." Kisame said, "As it turned out, Naruto-kun has Futon chakra, and so I could teach him nothing of Nature manipulation. I did however know someone who was very adept at it, and took him there."

"This outside source can be trusted?" Deva asked, locking eyes with Kisame.

"Of course, she has no love for Shinobi." Kisame replied, "She almost refused _us_, if not for the preceding agreement she and I shared. And so she trained Naruto in the use of Futon chakra, to the extent our time would allow."

"How has that progressed?"

"He has completed the first step, but our training was interrupted by Konoha."

Deva's eyes narrowed at Kisame's widened grin, contemptuous at the inappropriateness of the expression.

"Explain." he ordered, folding his arms.

"Gladly." Kisame replied, "It was pure coincidence, a Genin team and their Jonin sensei were escorting a trade caravan to Konoha when they detected us. Of course, they were no trouble for me, but once more Naruto-kun and I were separated and he was forced to fight one of the Genin by himself. A Hyuga."

Deva's right brow raised as his interest was piqued. Naruto looked between the two, why was the name "Hyuga" so interesting? He'd heard it mentioned in the academy a couple of times, and he knew of a shy girl in his class with that name, which was almost the extent of his knowledge. The only other thing he knew of were those eyes, what did Neji call them?

"He had this Jutsu with his eyes." he muttered, more thinking aloud than anything else, "Bakuran or something."

"The Byakugan." Deva corrected, "A dojutsu style kekkei genkai belonging to the Hyuga clan of Konoha. It allows the user to see in every direction and from every angle. They can also see through solid objects, straight to their opponent's chakra network."

"Dojutsu style kekkei genkai?" Naruto repeated, with a questioning look.

Deva glanced up at Kisame.

"Is there anything else?" he asked, sharply.

"Not really, Naruto sustained some damage, but he won in the end." Kisame replied, before snapping his fingers with a look of realisation, "Oh yeah, and he used the Kyubi's chakra."

If he'd been expecting a reaction, he was disappointed. Deva stared at Kisame for a moment, before nodding slowly.

"Very well then." he said, "You may return to your post with Itachi-san. You can consider this mission complete."

"Wait, what?!" Naruto exclaimed, whipping his head to Deva. But it was Kisame who answered his "question" with a pat to the head.

"Sorry kid, but this was only ever a momentary arrangement." he said, grinning down at his now former pupil, "You're on your own now. Well, unless you count Eko-kun."

"I'll miss you too Danna."

Naruto stared in shock as Kisame left with a wave, opening and closing the door to the hallway. He was a little dumbstruck, hell, after four weeks with the same person you tend to get used to them.

Deva watched Naruto's stunned loom with the faintest amusement, before tapping the boy on the shoulder.

"Come over here." he said, stepping back towards the opening.

Naruto blinked before following, stepping up and standing in the mouth of the statue. Deva rested his arm on the left side, his hand hanging loosely near his head.

"Naruto-san, a kekkei genkai is a genetic trait passed down through generations of specific clans." Deva said, as he looked out to the village, "The Byakugan is one of those, a Jutsu that only the Hyuga can use. Another is the Sharingan of the Uchiha. And as you can probably guess, I too possess a Dojutsu."

Naruto stared at Deva in stunned silence. He'd often wondered about his strange eyes, but since he knew nothing of kekkei genkai, he could offer himself no explanation.

"Have you heard of the Rikudō Sennin?" Deva asked, looking at Naruto from the corner of his eyes. He got his answer from the boy's look, and returned his gaze to the building tops, "It doesn't matter, we can speak of that another time. What does matter is that he and I are the only people in history to ever possess these eyes, known as the "Rinnegan"."

Deva looked at Naruto, who kept his gaze in an awed manner. So then, judging by his mention of history, did that mean that Deva was the only person in the world with those eyes, the Rinnegan?

"What these eyes give to me is a power unlike any other." Deva continued, "Understand that the last time we talked, I spoke not just from a lifetime of experience, but from the experience of time itself."

He turned away, stepping back into the room and allowing the shadows to fall upon him, to put their arms around him. He looked over his shoulder, a strange… almost pained look in his eyes.

"I can see…" he said, his voice matching his expression, "This world is dying. I can feel the pain of every living soul out there, but I can only stand and watch as they cry out for help. But it isn't a friend they call for, or a hero. That whom they beg to rescue them isn't a mortal man. What they cry out for, is a saviour."

Naruto stepped down from the mouth, his eyes fixed on Deva and his brow creased. He had a look of someone who couldn't understand what he was being told, even though the words made perfect sense to him.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked. Deva searched his face for a moment, before sighing and looking away.

"I have an apology to make." he replied, taking Naruto by surprise, "Ever since the day we formally met, I have been deceiving you, giving you a false name."

Naruto's lips parted as his eyes widened. A false name? So this man wasn't really called Deva?

"Or rather, I've been giving you one of my other names."

Naruto's head dropped a little, his frown turning into a disbelieving look. This guy had more than one name? Just who _was_ he?!

Deva turned around now, facing Naruto fully. He spread his arms out a little, his open palms facing Naruto in a stance that told of complete openness.

"You see Naruto-san, I am not one person." he said, before taking a small pause, "I am many."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto was hit by a loud billowing sound and the flurry of movement that came so fast, the shock forced him to the ground. He landed on his left thigh, whipping his head around as he realised he was surrounded by five other Shinobi, all of whom were wearing the same cloaks as Deva.

"The six of us are all connected." Deva said, stepping forward, "Because we are all one consciousness. The god realm; Deva."

A second body then stepped forward, a very tall man with a bald head and incredibly thick neck. He had heavy piercing, spikes in his skull , a ring through his nose, two studs on each cheek and a large one in his chin. And over his right eye, there was a bandage that ran around his head, leaving his left eye visible.

"The demon realm; Asura." he spoke, with a smile.

A third then moved forward, they were all men. Like Deva, this man also had orange, spiky hair, though his was even wilder. He appeared older, and had three very long spikes through his ears, with seven studs on his face, starting from the bridge of his nose and moving down to the creases across his cheeks.

"The hell realm; Naraka." he uttered, looking impassively at Naruto.

The space around him shrank further as the fourth came closer to Naruto, a bulky one who was the shortest so far. He had his hair swept back into a small ponytail, which was orange like Deva and Naraka. He also had spikes through his ears, though it was only one on each side. His face was marked with two studs on the bridge of his nose, a spike on either cheek and five small ones through his lower lip.

"The hungry ghost realm; Preta." he slurred, though he clearly wasn't drunk.

Fifth place belonged to a man with long, straight hair, following the pattern of colour exactly. His was a diagonal bar running through his nose, with four studs on his cheeks and two in his jaw.

"The human realm." he muttered, offering no name.

The circle was then complete as the final man joined in. his hair was tied in a high and very long ponytail, with a long fringe hanging down the right side of his face. He bore four studs in his jaw, one between his eyebrows, if he'd had any, and two just below each eye, with a bar connecting them both which ran straight through his nose.

"The animal realm." he announced, looking down at the boy in the middle of all this sharply.

Naruto hesitantly got to his feet, looking at the six Shinobi around him. What was going on, who were these guys? They all looked at him not just in the same way, but _with the same eyes_.

Each and every one of them possessed the Rinnegan.

"You said you were the only one!" he yelled, looking at Deva accusingly, "Just you and this Rikudō guy!"

"You are correct." Deva replied, "However, the face before you is not my own, neither are any of these. As I said, I am many."

"We are Pein." the six men said as one, "We are god."

Naruto spun around, did they rehearse that or something?! This was insane, how could any of this be real?!

"There's no way!" he exclaimed, "One man can't be several people, that's crazy!"

"This is the power of the Rinnegan." Deva explained, "With it, this is possible."

But Naruto could barely hear him. He felt like a cat trapped in the corner, surrounded by these terrifying individuals. He spun round, trying desperately to find his escape, but everywhere he turned there were those eyes.

Deva sighed, and Preta stepped aside, leaving the alcove to outside open.

"I can see this is too distressing for you." Preta said, "If you wish to run, I won't stop you."

Naruto didn't even blink, he immediately scrambled over the alcove, stepping into it and running through the mouth.

_THROOM!!!_

Naruto froze, as the sound of thunder filled the skies. His heart stopped and his breath was suddenly caught in his throat, as an even greater fear hit him. He was paralysed by it, he couldn't move if he wanted to. Every fibre in his body was screaming at him to back away, back inside where it was safe. But he couldn't do it. Not because of who was behind him, but that he didn't want to back away, lest the raging skies realised he was there.

_THROOM!!!_

Naruto took a step back, one hand against the wall and the other clutching his jacket, desperate to just cling onto something, to feel in some sense secure.

"Konan." Deva called, as he stepped past the other men. Konan stepped out from the shadows, and the two of them immediately headed over to Naruto, stepping out into the alcove. Deva stood beside Naruto while Konan stood behind, putting her arms around the terrified boy, who immediately grabbed her arms and held on tight, his own fear keeping his shock from making itself noticed. As Konan held him, Deva looked Naruto in the eye, making sure he was in line of sight, even if the boy couldn't see him in this state.

"Naruto-san, if you like, I can make this stop." he said, in all seriousness, "I ask only that you hear me out once I do, is that ok?"

Naruto was still frozen, Deva's voice was barely audible. But it just broke through, Naruto knew what he was being told. He licked his lips as he tried to bring air to his lungs, so he could speak.

"Y-yes." he croaked, his shaky voice keeping none of his pride.

Deva nodded, and straightened up. He formed a hand sign, and followed up with a few more, before ending with clasped hands, the seal of the snake.

Slowly, the rain faded away, and the clouds gradually dispersed. The sunlight broke through the sky and cast rays of light upon the tower, and upon the three of them. The thunder was gone.

Konan released Naruto, who fell to his knees, the tension in his muscles subsiding and causing him to lose balance. He planted his hands on the ground, his heart hammering and his breath coming and going in a lungful to the second.

Deva crouched down beside Naruto, one knee on the tongue of the statue. He placed a hand on the young Shinobi's back, a comfort Naruto accepted even after the shock of before.

"Naruto-san, please see things through my eyes." Deva said, "Is all of this really so hard to believe?"

"…I don't get it." Naruto gasped, between breaths, "I just don't get it."

Deva studied his face, Naruto was slowly calming down. When he was sure the boy was alright, he helped him to his feet.

"Naruto-san, I ask that you keep your word, and please go with Asura realm." he said, "I will give you the proof you desire."

Naruto hesitated, looking back at the five men, and Konan. The one known as Asura stepped out, opening the door and waiting patiently. Naruto looked up to Deva questioningly, he was met with a reassuring look. After just a moment longer, he stepped down from the alcove and back into the room. He steadily walked to the doorway, looking at the other men nervously. They nodded appreciatively to him, though the courtesy better suited some than others. The Animal realm and Preta gave him the creeps, and Asura was something else entirely. But he joined the largest man and left the room, glad to be in the light of the hallway and leave most of the impossibility behind.

"As I told you before, I am known as Pein." Asura, or Pein, said, "Feel free to address myself as you like, but just know that in the end, we are the same person."

"Deva-san said you had proof." Naruto replied, looking warily up at the giant, "Sorry if I'm rude, but could I see it first?"

"Of course." Asura replied, bowing his head. He turned and led Naruto to the staircase, heading up the spiralling structure to the next floor. From what Naruto could see, this was the highest floor in the building, the stairs went no further.

Asura led him through the door there, into a room of almost complete darkness. It felt cavernous, even though there was no way of knowing for sure. But with each step they took, it echoed around, the sounds made desperate to find a way out. The almost complete blackness shrouded the room, a perfect mist obscuring both time and space, emphasising nothingness in all its glory.

But the mist of dark was not absolute. A pair of torches broke through the emptiness with roaring flames, growling at the shadows edging forward, two hounds guarding that which their master left them. A stone tablet, resting in between the loyal guardians.

It was that tablet which seemed to be Asura and Naruto's destination. The flames watched them warily as the two moved forward, curious of these wanderers left unafraid of their threatening snarls. After some deliberation, they seemed to accept the strangers into their midst, and returned their intention to the hollow gloom around them, attacking the trails their newfound guests left in their wake.

Naruto stared at the plaque before him, his eyes running across the peculiar runes and seals without making any sense of them. Deciding them indecipherable, he looked to Asura, who reached up to the bandage over his eye. He lifted it, and slowly opened his eye, revealing a different one than his left.

The sclera was a faded white, yellowing around the edges. The iris was scarlet, and bore small black symbols within, surrounding the pupil. Three tiny tomoe, with a very faint outline connecting them. But them the tomoe began moving, rotating around the eye like a windmill. But then the tomoe grew in size, like three tadpoles swimming around the pupil. A line grew out from the large tomoe, which connect them to the outer edge of the iris, turning the almost normal looking eye into a strange design, like a red three pronged shuriken surrounded by the same number of red moons under a blood red sky.

"This tablet can only be read by a single person, if looked at through these eyes." Asura explained, his smile maintained, "Would you like to know what it says?"

Naruto blinked, he hadn't realised he'd been staring. But when it hit him what Asura had said, he nodded in reply.

Asura gave his own small nod, before his eyes began running across the tablet slowly.

"There stood, the heavenly sage, and the hellish beast." he read, "The beast, who's aura so foul it ran around the entire world and tainted it with evil and despair. But the sage's aura cut through the beast's and the two beings clashed in the twilight, with power unfound and eyes unseen.

"The great beast took the sage, and sought to devour the heavenly being. But it was the sage, who did devour the beast, and left its body a husk. Then, with his power, he did raise the beast's form to the sky, where it was left to watch the world from afar, never again to taint its hallowed ground.

"But the sage did not rest. He gave unto the people his knowledge, and gifted them with his power. Upon his deathbed, he gave himself and his form to his children, and the beast unto the world, no longer a whole, but nine."

Asura finished reading, but Naruto was still listening intently. What he had been told made no sense to him, but there were faint details that came through. The sage, eyes, his knowledge, and nine.

"What does all that mean?" he asked, his voice but a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the air of what he had just heard. Asura looked down at him, his smile seemed to widen.

"The Rikudō Sennin was the very first person capable of using chakra." he explained, "He and this "beast" appeared at the same time, already deep in battle. They both possessed such strong chakra, even the young children on the other side of the world could feel it, and remember that there were no Shinobi back then.

"The only way the Sennin could defeat the beast, was to seal it in his own body. He used a Jutsu to take the beast's demonic chakra and took it in. He then used another Jutsu to dispose of the beast's body. Understand, a feat like that would be impossible for a human, even under the standards of this modern world. There is only one possible way he could have done something so great, and this ties into his appearance and power as well.

"He was god."

Naruto's mouth hung open, he was completely stunned. He himself was no good at detecting chakra, so he could understand what the weight of the beasts chakra must have been if even a child could sense it. What he had been told didn't make perfect sense, but there was some aspects that he could almost understand.

"You'll have to bear with me, this can be difficult to explain." Asura continued, "Like the tablet described, this beast was divided into nine fragments, what came to be known as the Biju. And you possess the largest piece, the Kyubi no Yoko."

Naruto gripped his jacket, his hand placed over his stomach. The Kyubi… that was the name of the monster inside of him. He remembered his fight with Neji, when he was hit with that sudden power. It had been insane, like his blood had been replaced with adrenaline and chakra. He could barely think straight, he'd been in control, but he'd had difficulty keeping his thoughts in one place.

"From what I understand, that was the first time you have ever used the Kyubi's chakra." Asura said, "If that is the case, then what you experienced was the barest, most minimal amount. To compare it to the Kyubi's full power, it would be at the very least a hundredth. And remember, the Kyubi is a piece of something so much stronger."

Naruto looked down at the balled up fabric between his fingers. He couldn't even imagine what level of power that could be, he had felt like he could do anything back there, but that was nothing?

"Now Naruto-san, let me ask you something." Asura said, getting down on one knee to Naruto's level, "There can be no other explanation. The Rikudō Sennin was god. So tell me, what does it mean that out of all history, I now possess his eyes?"

Naruto looked up at Asura, noticing the bandage had returned to covering his right eye, leaving only his Rinnegan visible.

The Rikudō Sennin… he really didn't have a reason to disagree, since he had never once in his life thought about that sort of thing. He'd just figured chakra had always existed, it was part of the body, wasn't it?

"If you've got his eyes…" Naruto said, slowly as the thoughts came to him, "Then you've got to be his descendent."

Asura nodded, showing his agreement.

"I have the Rikudō's blood within me." he said, "I have the blood of a god running through my veins, and undoubtedly his chakra. So I ask you, does that not make me a god myself?"

Naruto took a step back, his eyes widening in shock. He certainly couldn't disagree with Asura… _Pein's _logic. But he really didn't want to believe it. Gods… _gods_?!

"I don't have an answer for that." he said, blinking his surprise away, "But… I don't wanna believe in gods either."

"Why?" Pein asked, with the slightest frown. Naruto paused for a moment, before replying.

"Because… if there really is a god… and he's had control over the world… then nothing I do matters." he said, earning a deeper frown from Pein, "Even if I were to stop now, it wouldn't change a thing. It would just be down to someone else to do what I was supposed to. And then I become worthless… there'd be no reason for me to exist."

He then looked up, locking sad eyes with Pein.

"And if you're that god, then if my life should mean anything, I don't have a choice but to follow you." he said, before breaking contact again, looking to his left, "And then I lose my freedom, which is the same as being dead. So either way, there's no reason to go on…"

"But there is!" Pein replied, gripping Naruto's shoulders and taking him by surprise, "No power is absolute! If mine was as great as you say it is, then I wouldn't be here, asking for your help!"

Naruto stared into Pein's wide eye, his lips parted in stunned silence.

"I cannot do this alone!" he continued, "Isn't that what you were afraid of? That no one will ever acknowledge you, or need you? Well listen carefully, _I _acknowledge you! _I _need you! I'm begging you, right here and now, help me!"

Naruto froze, staring at his own reflection in Pein's eye. He slowly turned his head, looking around the darkness surrounding. What was that?

"Your voice…" he breathed, "That's not an echo…"


	18. Mark of the samsara

Ok, just so should know, as to the request of a certain person, every now and then I'm going to leave riddles about the plot. Anyone smart enough to figure them out get's some special insight, but I'll warn you, I'm not giving any hints. Sorry to DarkTorrent, but the first few are gonna be the ones I've already given you ('salright, that person doesn't have a clue what's going on)

Disclaimer: Riddle one: The moon is forever waxing.

* * *

**Mark of the samsara**

The Deva realm stood in the alcove, staring out into the rain. The other realms had left with Animal's assistance. It was just he and Konan, alone in the rain.

For whatever reason, Konan stood in the alcove beside Pein, rather than waiting inside like she usually did. It was something that Pein found interesting, he wondered what brought it on.

As he leant on the right wall, she stood by the left, her eyes looking so very distant. He couldn't remove his gaze from the amber stars, he was fixed on them. It was almost like he could see what she saw, through the glistening reflection.

"Do you have it?" he asked, noticing her eyes return to the here and now.

"Yes." she replied, looking at him, "But is it really necessary?"

"You yourself were expressing concern." Pein said, "I am simply getting rid of a worry, and creating an opportunity out of it."

"But where he's going… will this even work?"

Pein looked back out the window, as he considered his logic once more. Theoretically it should, but he'd only recently come up with it and hadn't the opportunity to test it out yet.

"With Asura acting as a relay, I can extend the distance by at least a half." he said, as he thought carefully, "I will however, need to focus solely on Asura while doing so."

"Even then, will that be enough?" Konan asked, with an unsure look, "You've never tried that far before."

"With the power of the Mangekyou, distance holds less relevance." Pein replied, obscurely, "But this means that should anything happen, you will need to take care of it."

Konan frowned at him, she didn't understand what he was saying.

"Are you expecting something?" she asked. She didn't like Pein's recent habit of keeping things quiet, it made her uneasy.

Pein paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"No, nothing." he said, "I just…"

He trailed off, something which really took Konan by surprise.

He turned away, stepping out of the alcove.

"I have a headache." he muttered, before making his way to the door.

"Nagato."

Pein stopped, looking around with a raised brow. Konan never called him by that name, not unless she was actually looking at Nagato. But there she was, giving him a hard stare.

She stepped out from the alcove, refusing to break eye contact with Pein.

"What aren't you telling me?" she demanded, now just a few feet away from him. Pein continued to look back for a moment longer, before breaking away with a strange, almost sad look in his eyes.

"Konan… I really do just have a headache." he said, "I promise that is all."

Konan continued to watch him, her expression softening a little. He actually sounded a little more like Nagato now, she liked it.

"We really are victims of circumstance, aren't we?" Pein asked, shaking Konan to her core. What was that supposed to mean? Nothing, not a single bit of what he just said sounded like Pein _or _Nagato.

"What are you saying?!" she demanded, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around, "What is that supposed to mean?!"

Pein looked down at her, into her eyes. He couldn't resist a faint smile, even like this, she could only manage and indignant look. He had never once seen her really angry. Sometimes he thought he would like to, just to see what it looked like. It was then that he had a thought, a curiosity.

"I wonder…" he said, "Could it be that you wish to see me dying?"

Konan gasped, and Pein's brow rose in surprise as he heard a cracking sound and felt a stinging sensation in his cheek. Konan held her hand up, and her look became deeper than mere indignation.

"How could you even say that?!" she spat out, openly glaring, "When you have his face?!"

"That is the first time you have ever struck me." Pein said, ignoring her question. He turned his head back to look at her, and a smile spread across his lips, "And look, how angry you are."

He took a step closer, and she a step back, shock and anxiety appearing on her face.

"It's true then." he said, taking a step forward with each sentence, as she backed away, "You wish to see me hurt. Wounded. Sad. Afraid. Desperate."

Konan's back touched the wall, and Pein stood directly in front of her. He leaned forward, and her head pressed against the wall as she bore a fearful look. He moved his head past hers, his lips close to her ear.

"You wish to see some sign, that I am still Nagato." he whispered, causing Konan's breath to catch in her throat. Pein paused to see her reaction, but she couldn't look at him. She pushed past, heading for the door at a quick pace. But Pein wasn't going to let her leave on that note, he reached out and grabbed her arm, before pulling her in.

She gasped in shock, as Pein held her close, her head pressed against his chest.

"You forget Konan, that you and I know only each other." Pein said, with closed eyes, "I am just following Yahiko's wish, do you understand that?"

"I… yes." Konan replied, gripping Pein's cloak, "I just…"

"You know, you could rule the world yourself." Pein said, surprising her into looking up. He stared down into her questioning eyes, his smile holding a warmth they rarely did, "Your beauty could captivate an army, and your smile would penetrate the coldest heart."

Konan was silent, she couldn't find her voice. Pein placed a hand on her head, and pulled her in even closer.

"If there is any spark of Nagato left within me, then you are the one keeping it alive." he said, "My body is brittle, and my breathing is ragged. But because of you, my heart is warm."

Konan's eyes were wide, and her speech still beyond her. She could hear his heartbeat through his cloak. It was calm, going at a steady pace. But, faintly, she thought she could feel it. The warmth he described, she could almost feel it on her cheek. She then felt it on her other, and realised the warmth wasn't his, but hers.

"Na-Nagato…" she breathed.

"It looks like things are finished up there." Pein said, looking down at her, "Are you ok with all this?"

"Yes." Konan replied, with a sharp nod. Pein returned it, releasing her. She took a step back, glancing up at him. But almost immediately she looked away, she couldn't explain why it was so hard to look into his eyes, or why her face still felt so warm.

The door behind her creaked open, she turned around just as Naruto walked in, a dazed look on his face. His eyes immediately fell upon Pein, but his expression didn't change. Konan had quite the feeling of suspense, she had no idea what had gone on between the two of them.

"So what now?" Naruto asked, though he didn't really look like he could hear anything they said.

"Now, I have a gift for you." Pein replied, nodding to Konan. She stepped over to Naruto, pulling a strange device from her cloak. It resembled something like a stapler, a smooth and bulky grey item with a handle a running across one side. There were several knobs running across the edge nearer the handle, and it seemed to open up on the other side, spreading out wide. Naruto could see several sharp needle points in it, each of them put in groups of three, forming a small triangle.

Konan took his arm and led him over to the step at the alcove, sitting him down. She sat beside him, and raised the device to his ear. He suddenly got a worried look on his face, but Konan gave him a reassuring nod. She then turned a few of the knobs, and Naruto could hear a low grinding sound. She then looked up to Pein questioningly, and he nodded in reply.

"This will hurt." Konan said, giving Naruto a moment to grip his knees. When he appeared ready, she slipped her fingers into the handle, and after a few seconds, gave a tight squeeze.

"Ah!" Naruto groaned, as he felt several of the needles pierce through his ear, along the top at the helix. Konan then took the machine off, and procured a small piece of paper from somewhere. She tore very small pieces and placed them one the pricks in Naruto's skin to stem the bleeding. Once that was done, she moved around to his other side, and raised the device again. Naruto was more wary this time, since he knew what was going to happen. But he didn't resist as he felt the cold metal on his skin, he just grip the fabric of his trousers harder. Then it came again, that searing pain as his ears were impaled.

"Gr!" he grunted, before Konan removed the device and used pieces of paper to clean up the wound. She pulled out a bottle of water and wet her fingers, before gently rubbing his ears. Naruto had to resist shivering, it was a weird sensation. Not bad, but still weird.

Once she was seemingly done, she returned to the other ear and began doing the same. While he experienced that tingling feeling, Pein stepped over to him, holding something very small in his hand. He knelt down beside Naruto and took the small object to his ear. Naruto winced as he felt something being pushed through there. Now he just felt awkward, with a woman rubbing one ear and a guy holding the other.

Both finished whatever they were doing at the same time, and Pein stepped around to do the same to Naruto's right ear. Konan stepped back to survey the work, returning the device to the folds of her cloak.

When Pein was done, he too stood back and looked down at Naruto, who got to his feet.

"It's not bad." Pein muttered, running a finger across his chin, "Function over form, but it suits him."

"Yes." Konan replied, "Will you test it out?"

"No, I think we'll take care of that later." Pein said, "Naruto-san has been through a lot today, I'm sure he can use the rest."

Naruto blinked, looking between the two. What they had said was pretty finalistic, so he guessed that meant he was excused.

He walked around them, to the door and left into the hall. Neither of them tried to stop him, so he gained more confidence and headed for the stairs.

"Whoa… that was weird."

Naruto felt Eko shiver, he had wondered why the blade had been so silent.

"What happened to you?" he asked, looking over his shoulder as he opened the door to the stairway.

"Couldn't you feel that?! That guy's chakra was all over the place! It was like he was everywhere!"

Naruto felt a small smirk spread across his lips, the irony wasn't lost on him.

He descended down to the floor below, and stepped out into it. The hallway hadn't changed any, but he was curious to see how his room had. She walked over to his door and slowly opened it, stepping inside. He grinned broadly at what he saw.

All along his walls, a map of the world had been painted on. The wall behind him, with the door on it, had this continent, while the rest of the walls had the other three. The detail was fantastic, even the mountains of the land of Lightning had snow across the summits, and darkened valleys ran across the land of Earth.

On the other walls were the continents that held places like Yuki no Kuni, and Oni no Kuni. Each of them looked incredible, like a birds eye view of the world.

Naruto stood in the middle of his room, looking around with a broad grin. Everything was perfect, but there was one thing he needed to check.

He looked over to his dressing table, everything had been moved back into place, and saw what he was looking for. It was a box of pens, and what looked like a blackboard eraser next to it. He walked over and picked up the packet, taking out a definitive black marker, and grabbed the eraser. He then stood before the map of this confident, and quickly found Konohagakure in the centre. He removed the lid from the pen and raised it to the wall, drawing a small figure nine just next to the village. Just to check, he wiped across with the eraser. Sure enough, the ink disappeared without damaging the pain. Naruto grinned again, before putting the nine back up and scoring through it.

"Ok, let's see." he muttered, as he tried to think of what else to put in. he scanned the map, before finding the area of the village that Naomi and Aiko lived. He picked up his pen again and drew a small arrow to that point, before adding a pair of happy faces, one with short dark hair and the other with two braids and big brows. He chuckled to himself, before putting the lid back on the pen and stepping back.

He put the pen back in the box, he'd nothing more to add for now. So he instead decided to check out his kitchen, see hoe they did there. He opened the door and walked in, looking around with a raised brow.

The room had kept its shape, the counters and lights were in the same place. But instead of the glaring white that had bugged him the first time, it had been replaced with a flax yellow, giving the room a more wooded feel, and a lot warmer than what it had been before. The countertops had been replaced with a marble effect of the same colour, the fridge had also been redone the same way. It all looked a lot more comfortable to Naruto, it felt much warmer.

The only thing that he knew hadn't changed was the bathroom, since he'd liked it fine the way it was. But now this place felt a lot more liveable, even though he had a feeling he wouldn't be here too often.

"Well, guess I should take a shower." he muttered, as he began removing Ekokaeten.

* * * * *

About a half hour later, Naruto was out of the shower and in his casual clothes. He put Eko back on, noticing how different it felt to be carrying the katana while wearing a pullover. He disregarded it though, as he reached for his forehead protector. But then he hesitated, as a thought crossed his mind. He really shouldn't wear that all the time, if he wanted to keep it in good condition.

He looked up from his dressing table, into his mirror. His eyes widened in shock as he realised something. The surprise of seeing his room redone made him completely forget about the piercings in his ears.

There were three rings along the helix of each ear, small and thick. They were made of some black substance, it didn't feel like metal. He had the three rings in each ear, making a total of six. And Pein was right, they did look pretty cool. But Naruto was too taken aback to think that, he was still wrapping his head around the fact that he _had _piercings.

He shook his head, clearing it of thoughts. Recalling the past couple of hours would only confuse him more. It was better to just let things run their course, give it time for him to make sense of things. Now with his head empty, he was able to truly appreciate the six rings. He gave a wide smile, he looked older than he was.

He looked to his right as he heard a knock on the door. Who would be coming to pay _him _a visit?

He walked over to the door and opened it, his brow raising in surprise at who was waiting on the other side.

"Konan-san?" he thought aloud, looking up at the blue haired woman.

"Naruto-san, Pein sent me to give you the details of your fist mission." Konan said, "May I come in?"

Naruto stepped aside, and she nodded in thanks, stepping into the room. She looked around curiously, casting her eyes across the walls. She made a full turn, and looked straight at Konoha, and the scored nine drawn on it.

"I can see you're taking this seriously." she commented, "Though is it really necessary to set a reminder that you don't live in Konoha anymore?"

"I am one of the nine, so that makes us a little closer to doing whatever it is that we're doing." Naruto replied with a shrug. Konan nodded, showing her understanding.

"In that case, this is a little easier." she said, spotting the box of pens, "Do you mind?"

"Go ahead." Naruto replied, "It comes off, knock yourself out."

Konan nodded again, and took the black pen from the box. She then closed Naruto's door and studied the wall, the door had also been painted. She found the spot she was looking for, and drew a symbol somewhere near the middle of the land of Wind, resembling a bold letter "i".

"This is Sunagakure." she explained, looking back at Naruto, "The Jinchuriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku is from this village."

Naruto stared in shock at the symbol. They already knew where one was?!

"In four days, Genin teams from Suna will begin making their way to Konoha, along with teams from other villages. The Jinchuriki, known as Sabaku no Gaara." Konan continued, straightening up and turning around, "Zetsu-san has been gathering information, and from what we have learned, Gaara-san is a very dangerous person. He attacked Zetsu-san soon after meeting him, wasting no time in trying to kill him."

"Why did he do that?" Naruto asked. He was sure that Zetsu wouldn't have started something, he'd _asked _Naruto before saving him from Mizuki if that was what he had wanted.

"The Ichibi isn't like the Kyubi, and neither is the seal Gaara-san possesses." Konan replied, "The Ichibi attacks the mind of its Jinchuriki every time he sleeps. As such, Gaara-san has a terrible case of insomnia, and his mind is very fragile."

Naruto listened intently, secretly glad that he hadn't encountered the Kyubi yet. He wasn't sure just what the monster was capable of, but from what Pein had told him, the demon's power was immense. He didn't know what would happen if it was let loose, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

"Gaara-san uses the Ichibi's power constantly." Konan said, moving on, "He uses sand as his weapon, primarily that contained in the gourd he carries. From what Zetsu-san also tells us, the sand defends him against attacks by creating a solid barrier. He believes however that this is the Ichibi's doing, since the sand defended from attacks Gaara-san couldn't possibly have noticed."

Naruto nodded slowly, as he took all this in. Sand as a defence… he had a hard time picturing it in his mind, how could sand of all things be dangerous? He decided not to fall to assumptions though, and listened on.

"As I said, soon he will begin his journey to Konoha, were he will be taking part in the Chunin exams so he can ascend to the next level." Konan said, returning to the wall.

She took the pen and began drawing a trail from Sunagakure, heading through the Land of Wind towards the Land of Fire. The ink passed over the border, and headed to Konoha. Konan faltered a little, as she spotted the pair of happy faces below her line. But she resisted asking and continued on, until she reached the Hidden Leaf village.

"This is the most probable route he will take." she said. She then began drawing a dotted line, starting from Ame and heading south, "He is most dangerous in his home country. So what you must do is intercept him here, in the land of Rivers."

She marked the point where the two lines met with an X, before turning back to Naruto.

"Your mission is to find the Ichibi Jinchuriki and bring him to Ame." she said, in an official tone, "Use whatever means necessary, but do what you can to make sure he comes of his own free will."

"His own free will?" Naruto repeated. He'd been planning on doing that anyway, but after what he'd just heard about this Gaara guy, that wasn't going to be so easy. He probably wouldn't get out of this without a fight, "Uh… alright. So what does he look like?"

Konan reached into her cloak, pulling out what appeared to be a photograph. She handed it to Naruto, who accepted it curiously.

"This was taken by Zetsu-san upon his encounter with Gaara-san." Konan explained, as Naruto studied the boy in the picture closely.

It had been taken at night. Gaara, presumably, stood in the light of the full moon, which stood almost off the horizon. Gaara was standing atop a sandy dune, looking back to whatever was taking the picture. Because of the lighting, details weren't easy to make out. But he could gather some things.

He had dark hair, short and messy. It looked like it could be brown or red, it wasn't clear. His face was impassive, and his skin was pale. Naruto could see a strange dark shape on the left side of Gaara's forehead, like a bad cut or tattoo. His eyes were very difficult to make out, but for some reason they seemed _too _dark, like it wasn't just lighting that made them look like that.

Naruto spotted the gourd, although it would have been shameful if he didn't. It was a massive object, strapped to Gaara's back by a set of straps not unlike the ones on Ekokaeten. He also seemed to be wearing a black t-shirt, with a white sash hanging down in the opposite direction of the straps. On his lower half he wore a baggy pair of three quarter length trousers, and black sandals with bandages wrapped around his ankles.

Overall, it gave Naruto an at best vague idea of what Gaara looked like. But if it was the best he had to work with, it would have to do.

"Keep a hold of it." Konan said. Then, as an afterthought, she reached back into her cloak, "Oh, and take this as well."

She handed an envelope to him, a thick, white one. Naruto took it and opened it up, looking inside curiously. He was surprised, it was filled with money. He looked up questioningly to Konan, who answered before he could ask.

"Although we're an organization of missing-nin, this is your career now." she said, "And that's your pay."

Naruto looked back down, now giving the money a wondrous look. One, two, three, there had to be at least five thousand ryo in here!

"You sure about that?" he asked, "This is a lot!"

"Considering that you're going to be risking your life, it's not really that much." Konan replied, "I'd advise saving some, you never know what you might need it for."

Naruto nodded, showing he understood. He slipped the envelope into his pocket, but resolved to find a better place to keep it soon. He returned his gaze to Konan, who was looking back at him blankly. He was fairly certain she had something on her mind, but was hesitating to bring it up. However, there was something _he _was curious about.

"So… have you seen him?" he asked, "The real Pein, I mean."

"Of course I have." Konan replied.

"Oh, right. You two grew up together." Naruto said, grinning, "I forgot."

"I take it then that you have seen him?" Konan asked, her eyes revealing that to be what was on her mind.

"Nope." Naruto replied, surprising her, "He said he only wanted your eyes on him."

Konan's brow rose, her lips parting as surprise took her.

"He really said that?" she asked, disbelievingly.

"Well, close enough." Naruto answered, his brow creasing as he thought back, "It was more like "The only eye I'll allow upon me are Konan's"."

The room suddenly fell silent, Konan from what she had heard, and Naruto because he could sense the tension in her. Who knew why Eko was being quiet, but the blade only seemed to talk in bursts.

"I… see…" Konan muttered, before turning away, "Tomorrow, you are to meet Pein. He has something he wishes to test."

Naruto blinked in surprise as she walked to the door.

"Uh… ok." he replied, "Thanks for the… y'know?"

Konan nodded, before leaving Naruto to his own devices. He watched the door for a while, before Eko finally spoke up.

"You get the feeling we're stepping in on some sort of drama?"

"I can only guess what this must be like for you!" Naruto replied, smiling back at Eko, "Like watching a show that's halfway through!"

"Yeah, something like that… So do you think there's a place I could get cleaned around here?"

"Probably." Naruto replied, as he grabbed his sedge hat and headed for the door, "We could head through the slums and see if there's anyone willing to do it."

"Slums? You better be joking."

"Don't worry!" Naruto replied, grinning, "I'm pretty sure I saw a weapons store on the way here, I think they do maintenance as well. And I'm almost positive there was a girl working there."

He noticed Eko warm up, and sensed more than a faint bit of embarrassment.

"Hey Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Kisame no Danna about this."


	19. Recieving

As per the request of one Lexor, I've started things off with an omake. Gotta say, wasn't particularly impressed with this chapter, looks like I'll have to move into the next arc to keep things going.

Disclaimer: Riddle number two: The reflection of the samsara, like the poisoned helm.

* * *

**Receiving**

Naruto found the place he was looking for, the weapons shop he mentioned to Eko. It was a small place, open walled and well lit. All sorts of ninja tools lined the walls of the shop, katana, tanto, shuriken, kunai, and many other things.

Inside, a grey haired man in his late forties or early fifties sat on a crate, his very narrow eyes looking around while he adjusted his stained apron. Behind him, through an open doorway, Naruto saw a girl with long, blond hair who looked to be in her early twenties at best. He only caught a fleeting glimpse of her, but he did notice the tray of polishes she was carrying.

"Looks like you're in luck Eko-kun." Naruto muttered, looking over his shoulder.

"Shut up."

Naruto almost laughed at the heat coming from the katana. He walked over to the store owner, who looked up at him with a pleasant smile.

"Good evening son!" the man said, "How can I help you?"

"Do you clean weapons as well?" Naruto asked, "Cos I was given a katana about three weeks ago, and I'm not really sure when it was last maintained."

"Oh, at least three weeks you say?" the man repeated, with an almost impressed look, "I'd be surprised if it lasted much longer, if that's the case."

But the man then raised his hands in the air, an apologetic look on his face.

"Unfortunately, Mayumi is the one who takes care of that, and she's busy right now." he said, "We got an order just a while ago to clean one of the biggest weapons I've ever seen, it could be a few hours until we're done."

"GII GI-GI-GI-GI-GI-GI-GIII!!!"

"Dad! It's doing it again!"

"Sorry, but you'll have to come later!" the man said, as he got to his feet and hurried into the back room. Both Naruto and Eko were silent, and frozen stiff.

"That wasn't… what I thought it was… right?"

"Uh… yeah." Naruto replied, with a large sweat drop on the back of his head.

* * * * *

Naruto finished stocking his cupboards with ramen, which he'd been ecstatic to find, before he left to meet with Pein.

He was wearing his ninja clothes once more, but left his cloak in the wardrobe. He stepped out into the hallway, and made his way to the stairs.

He never managed to reach them however, as the very person he was going to meet came out from that very place.

"Naruto-san." he said, closing the door behind him, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." Naruto replied with a nod, "So what's going on?"

"I wish to conduct a little experiment." Pein answered, as he opened the window at the end of the hall, "Take whatever means you wish to keep up."

With that, he jumped out the window. Naruto was taken aback a little by this action, but soon let it go. It didn't look like Pein got up to much, maybe this was his way of stretching his legs?

In either case, he followed, vaulting through to outside. He could see Pein falling below, his cloak billowing heavily in the wind. Naruto was glad he'd decided against wearing his, this would be a nightmare otherwise.

He watched as Pein ran his hand down the wall of the tower, before planting his feet on it and running straight down. He was actually quite fast, getting smaller and further away. Naruto straightened out his body, making a nosedive to the ground below. He could hear the wind whipping around him, trying to figure out what it was that just shot past. The buildings around him blurred, all he could see was the ground, and Pein. For some reason, Naruto was feeling a strange sense of determination. Maybe it was that after sensing all the power Pein contained, he was finally getting the opportunity to see a little of it, even if it was just his speed.

Pein reached the ground, while Naruto was still about fifty yards above. He didn't waste any time, and continued running once he corrected himself. But Naruto refused to fall back, and quickly formed a hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, though it was barely audible to him through the rushing in his ears. A clone appeared below, crouched and poised. At the last moment, Naruto flipped through the air and kicked off the clone's waiting hands, using his accumulated speed to catch up with Pein.

"Impressive." the orange haired Shinobi said, looking back, "You certainly work well with your Kage Bunshin."

Naruto grinned, as the leapt through a gap between some particularly thick pipes. He had never seen this side of Amegakure, you could really lose yourself in this place.

"However, you still have a long way to go." Pein added, kicking off a pipe to the right and turning a corner that Naruto almost missed, "You are still but a child."

Naruto headed through the same gap Pein did, coming out into a large opening. He looked around with a frown, Pein had completely disappeared.

"Behind you."

Naruto looked back. Pein was standing just at the corner he had come through, watching as Naruto descended through the air.

"Wha- WHOA!" Naruto cried out, realising there was nothing below him. Pein sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"Bansho Ten'in." he muttered. Naruto was suddenly jerked through the air, pulled back towards Pein. He landed and stumbled, falling on his backside.

"Ow." he groaned, as he pushed himself to his feet. He looked around the area, it looked like a cavern of some sort, made from pipes of varying sizes heading in several directions. Along the side he and Pein stood, a series of pipes all opened at the same place, water bursting forth and crashing down into the depths below. The roaring noise was immense, it made Naruto want to cover his ears.

"What are we doing here?" he asked, wincing.

"This is where we shall tests that which I have given to you." Pein replied, looking at the pipes, "Do you know what the second stage of mastering Futon chakra is?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked, looking at Pein, "Yeah, I need to "cut a…"

His brow raised in surprise as he just realised what he was standing next to.

"We're training?!" he exclaimed in shock. Pein nodded, walking along the path of pipes that sat behind the wall of water.

"I will show you what you must aim to achieve." he said, as he stood in the middle of the makeshift waterfall. Naruto joined him, and watched as he raised his hands, his palms just barely touching the water.

"_THRSSSSH!!!"_

"Whoa…" Naruto breathed, as he watched the flow of water change, like there was an invisible barrier halting its progress. It fell down either side, but outside its direct descent. It was just like Naomi described… cutting a waterfall.

Pein dropped his hands to his side, and immediately the water crashed back into its normal form. He looked at Naruto, who was completely awestruck.

"Now your turn." he said.

Naruto looked at him, then back at the waterfall. He nodded weakly, and Pein stepped aside as Naruto took his place. He raised his hands with unease, placing them in the water.

"Shit!" he thought, as his hands instantly became numb, "This is freezing!"

"Go on." Pein said, folding his arms.

Naruto nodded, and used everything he knew about Futon chakra to do this. He gathered it, thinned it out, and released it.

Absolutely nothing happened. Or if anything did, he certainly missed it. He looked to Pein, who was nodding to himself.

"Good." he muttered, before stating clearly, "Again."

Naruto hesitated, but complied, doing the same. He tried to make it even thinner than before, this was much harder without his Kage Bunshin, but something told him Pein wanted him to do it this way. He worked up the best he could, and released with all his might, his eyes squeezed shut and his teeth clenched as he grunted with effort.

"_THRSSSSH!!!"_

His eyes snapped open, looking at the scene before him in stunned silence.

He had done it. The waterfall only met the limit he had set, he had actually cut _through _a waterfall!

He whipped his head around to look at Pein, who was studying the falls with interest.

"So it works then." he said to himself. He then looked at Naruto, nodding, "Good, that will be all. Rest up for your mission."

Naruto blinked, that was a pretty abrupt halt. Pein turned and walked away, disappearing through the pipes. As he did, the falls crashed down once more. Naruto's neck snapped round, a frown planted on his face. He tried to cut the waterfall again, channelling his chakra into it.

"_Why isn't it working?" _he thought, as sweat formed on his brow.

* * * * *

Naruto returned to his room exhausted and frankly, more than a bit wet. He took his jacket off and hung it on the chair in front of his dressing table, before going into the kitchen to boil a kettle for some instant ramen.

He sat down on the barstool behind the door, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the picture of "Sabaku no Gaara", and studied it once more.

Of course, nothing had changed. it was as dark as ever, he only had a basic shape to work with, though the gourd was a bit of a giveaway.

He placed the photo on the counter before him, letting the sunlight hit it. He leant forward, squinting. After closer inspection, he had a feeling that mark on his forehead was more likely a tattoo, if it was a wound, it was a bad one, and should have been bandaged. Well, at least it was something to work on, since he wasn't sure if the gourd was Gaara's thing alone or if many Suna Shinobi used them.

"_So what am I gonna do?" _he thought, _"Zetsu already tried, and that didn't work. So how am I gonna convince him to come along?"_

No ideas came to mind, from what Konan had told him appealing to Gaara's good nature wouldn't be the most effective method. And this defence of his, if it really was as strong as Konan emphasised, the would he be able to break through it?

"Man… this is gonna be tough." he muttered.

"You're right, **it won't be easy."**

Naruto whipped his head around, nearly falling off his stool in shock. Zetsu rose from the ground, looking straight at him with a one sided smirk.

"Zetsu-san!" Naruto exclaimed, gripping the counter for balance, "What're you doing here?"

"We heard that you were given the Ichibi mission." Zetsu explained, before the other side took over, **"We are here to share our combat experience with you."**

"Combat experience?" Naruto repeated, "So you're gonna give me advice?"

"Not quite." Zetsu replied, as he took a step forward, **"Close your eyes, this will feel unpleasant."**

Naruto paused for a moment, before complying, squeezing his eyes shut as he waited for whatever was going to happen.

He heard it first, a strange sound, kind of like when the tap isn't working, and it makes that spluttering sound. It was very loud, it was coming from something large, Zetsu presumably. Knowing that this was probably the unpleasant thing he had spoken about, Naruto tensed.

He felt it next, like someone was pushing putty on either side of him. He felt it forming around his arms, and move onto his chest.

"**Keep your eyes closed." **Zetsu warned, his voice much closer. Naruto cringed, this really felt disgusting. But he did as he was told, and kept his eyes closed. The stuff, whatever it was, was warm and sticky, it completely enveloped Naruto's hands, and was now doing the same to his head. Suddenly, a horrific thought reached him that he had to voice.

"How am I gonna breath?" he asked.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine.** This will only take a moment."**

Naruto would have enquired further, but whatever this stuff was, it was beginning to cover his mouth. Naruto took a deep breath, and held it just as the two substances completely engulfed him.

Outside, Zetsu sat on the barstool, quite a size larger than he ought to be.

* * * * *

Naruto frowned as he suddenly felt a cool breeze on his face, instead of the slime or whatever that had been. Gingerly, he opened his eyes, and they soon widened all the way. He was standing in the desert, looking at the person from the photo, looking just like he did then, moonlight and all.

"Eko-kun?" Naruto muttered, "I don't think we're in Ame anymore."

"This desert holds no secrets for I." said Sabaku no Gaara, as he stared straight at Naruto, "Now tell me why you are here, before I kill you for intruding."

"Hold on a-" Naruto began, his expression of shock.

"**How barbaric**, we only wanted to make an offer to you."

"_What?!" _Naruto thought, that was Zetsu's voice, no doubt about it. So why did it feel like it had come from his own mouth?! He tried looking around, but found he couldn't move his body, what was going on?!

"_Right, this is Zetsu's memory!" _he realised, _"He must have used a Jutsu on me!"_

"Why should I be interested in anything you have to offer?" Gaara asked, his eyes narrowing accusingly.

"We can give you what you desire." Zetsu's voice replied, "And if you like, we can break your loneliness."

Gaara didn't reply, nor did he move. But somehow, the cork used as the lid to his cork shifted as it was pushed out, falling and landing on the dunes. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw sand pour out of the gourd. But it didn't fall to the desert, _it rose into the air_. I was a large, shapeless mass that just grew larger, and hovered in the air around Gaara like a thick mist.

Then, out of nowhere, the sand lunged straight for Naruto, at a speed he had far from been expecting.

"_Shit!" _he thought, _"Move!"_

Zetsu jumped into the air, but not fast enough to avoid being hit with the sand. In moments, he was completely covered in the thousands of grains, leaving only his head visible. Gaara looked up at him impassively, his hand slowly raising with his fingers gripping an invisible object.

"Sabaku-"

"Doton: Great Mass!" Zetsu called. Gaara frowned, and he suddenly had a strained look on his face. Naruto felt himself shake in the air, like the sand was having difficulty maintaining its height. Gaara appeared to be struggling too, and was forced to lower his hand. The sand, and Zetsu, came crashing down to the dunes, and fell straight through them.

"He is certainly violent." Zetsu mused, as he broke free of the sand, **"We shall have to sap his chakra if we are to subdue him. **Yes, but we have to be careful. There's no telling what tricks he may have up his sleeve. T**hat won't matter. He won't know the spores are there until it is too late."**

It looked like after all this time, it was once again weird to hear Zetsu converse with himself. Naruto almost sighed.

Zetsu slowly rose to the surface, doing what he could to break through silently. When he had reached height enough so he could see, he parted the leaves.

Gaara was nowhere to be seen.

Zetsu whipped his head around, trying to spot the passive aggressive boy. As he did, Naruto was forced to look to. It was really disorienting to have your viewpoint change without making the physical movement to do so. But he tried to ignore that, and searched for Gaara as well. Every direction… he was gone.

"He left?" Zetsu speculated, with a surprised look, **"He probably thought we were acting cowardly, and decided we weren't worth killing."**

Naruto was still scanning the area, but then something happened, which stunned him past speech.

The sky and earth tore apart, and a blinding light shone through, dazzling Naruto and forcing him to close his eyes.

* * * * *

He grabbed the counter, panting heavily. He was back in his kitchen, away from the desert. The light was still too bright, he kept his face down to avoid the glare. But after several moments, he managed to raise his head, wincing at the throb he felt in his head.

"Sorry, I guess we should have given you a better warning." Zetsu said, looking down at Naruto.

"What… was that?!" Naruto panted, returning Zetsu's gaze.

"**A special Jutsu of ours." **was the obscure reply, "We know it wasn't much, but it should at least give you an idea of what you're dealing with."

"Yeah…" Naruto said, nodding weakly.

"I'd advise you take a shower, **that takes a while to get out."**

Naruto blinked, before looking at himself. He was coated in a layer of slime, from head to toe. He had mistaken it for his sweat, but apparently he was wrong.

"Aw, damn it!" he groaned, wringing his hands, "This is disgusting!"

"I'm sure when the time comes you'll believe this was worth it." Zetsu said with a grin, "**Don't waste what we've given you."**

With that, he descended back into the floor, disappearing completely. Naruto would have thanked him for the help, but he was a little preoccupied. He didn't waste any time getting up and going to his bathroom.

* * * * *

Zetsu had been right, it _did _take a while to get out. Two and a half hours to be precise. But when he had scrubbed himself down for the twenty seventh time, he finally felt like he had gotten it all off.

He sat back in the kitchen, in a different stool, eating the cup of instant ramen he'd had been waiting on for two and a half _freaking_ hours. But still, now that he had it he couldn't complain, it was some pretty good quality stuff.

Eko was resting on the wall beside him, and seemed pretty relaxed for someone who spent most of their time doing nothing.

"Hey, so why exactly are you looking for this Gaara guy?"

Naruto glanced down to Eko, with more than a few strands of noodle hanging out of his mouth. He slurped it up and chewed quickly, before gulping it all down.

"It's sorta my mission." he replied, wiping his chin as a trail of soup trickled down, "I have to find all the Jinchuriki and get them to come here."

"Why?"

Naruto blinked, before frowning in confusion.

"What to you mean why?" he asked.

"Why are you gathering the Jinchuriki? What does this Pein guy need them for?"

Naruto was about to reply, but then he paused, realising he didn't have an answer. He looked into his ramen, brow furrowed in concentration.

"You don't know… So what you're saying is, this could be some mad lunatic bent on taking over the world then?"

"Uh…" Naruto muttered, turning his head back to Eko, "I wouldn't call him a lunatic. He was pretty convincing."

"…"

"…"

Naruto's brow rose as he heard Eko sigh loudly.

"You don't care, you just wanna become the greatest sword in the world. Working with a guy like this can only get you into a lot of fights, so you will become stronger."

Naruto's expression became one of nervousness. Was Eko talking to himself?

* * * * *

"Pein, Sasori-san is here." Konan said, as she walked in the room. She was followed by an incredibly short and stout person, who wore the same cloak as anybody else in Akatsuki did. However, the difference for him was that his dragged across the floor, sweeping around his unbelievably broad frame as he moved. He wore his sedge hat, and looked up at Pein with bloodshot eyes, a black rag hiding the lower half of his face.

"So what is it you are needing?" he asked, in the most gravely voice either Pein or Konan had ever heard.

Pein turned around and stepped into the room, looking down at Sasori with the respect he offered every member of Akatsuki.

"Sasori-san, thank you for coming." he said, bowing his head, "I have need of an improvement on Asura's body."

"Improvement?!" Sasori repeated, his eyes leering up at Pein, "And why exactly would that even _need _such a thing?"

"What I need is to increase the range that it can pick up chakra signals." Pein explained, careful not to reveal too much.

"Extend the range?" Sasori almost laughed, "That isn't possible. It isn't a question of what Asura's abilities are, _which I may remind you are incredibly potent, _but a question of how far _your_ chakra can reach."

"Sasori-san-" Konan began, intending to have him show more respect. But Pein held up his hand, silencing her.

"Is there no way?" he asked, locking eyes with Sasori, who broke contact as he turned away.

"Hmm…" he mused, deep in thought, "The device inside Asura acts as a relay, to extend your chakra's reach by almost a half. While that cannot be augmented further, and the distance of your chakra can't be augmented either, I suppose I could piece together a few transmitters to act as even more relays."

He then turned back to Pein, immediately meeting his gaze.

"However, these devices would have to be powered by chakra." he continued, "Meaning the more you use, the weaker the chakra you send out will be when it reaches its target. That means Asura will be much weaker at the end of it."

"Fortunately, it is your greatest creation." Pein replied, "It doesn't need chakra to defend itself."

"I know what it is capable of!" Sasori growled, "And I do intend in having him _back _at some point!"

"And so you shall." Pein nodded, "Once we have reached our goals."


	20. Following the river

Well, it's not long but I certainly feel more confident about this chapter than the last. Maybe it's because my college gave me a laptop, so I can work on my story whenever (unbeknownst to them of course). I wonder if those riddles I gave out were too difficult, no one has even ventured a guess yet. Ah well, I'll try and give you an easier one.

Disclaimer: Riddle three: the clouds hold the secrets for the breeze to become a gale.

* * *

**Following the river**

Naruto stood outside the gates of Ame, looking off to the general direction of the land of Rivers. It was the time for him to leave for his mission, time for him to leave once again.

They skies were grey, but without rain. A slight breeze blew through his hair and his cloak, towards his destination. He was silent, thinking seriously about the journey ahead. He was going on this mission alone. From what he knew, only Jonin got to go on solo missions. Pein was putting a lot of faith in him, but he wasn't leaving Naruto to his own strength.

"_The timing is unfortunate, but it is better that you learn this one your way." he had said, handing Naruto a small scroll, "If he is not alone, do not approach him."_

Naruto fingered the scroll in his pocket, curious to find what it could be. But he decided it would be best to leave it for later, when he wasn't _just _starting his journey.

"So we going or not?"

Naruto paused, before nodding slowly.

"Yeah, let's go." he replied.

"Great. Why are you telling _me _that?"

Naruto tried to come up with a response, but failed. He dropped it, and just started running.

The land around Amegakure was pretty desolate, mostly just damp rock with hardly any vegetation. Naruto ran alongside one of the streams exiting the village, one that would eventually join with the rivers he sought. There was the odd shack, but most of the people lived within the heavily industrialised Ame. The people who lived in the shacks were all outside, stretching their legs while they had the chance. They watched curiously as Naruto ran by, he was probably the youngest Shinobi they had ever seen.

"So you got any plans for this thing?"

"Well, from what De- Pein-san told me, Gaara-san shouldn't be able to use his sand when it's wet, cos it'd be too heavy and hard to control." Naruto replied, "I guess that's why he picked the land of Rivers, cos there's a lot of water there."

"Uh huh… and how are you planning on getting his sand wet? Splash him?"

Naruto's brow creased as he came to that realisation. The only useful move he had was the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and unless he came up with something either very clever, or incredibly stupid.

He ran across a wooden bridge, passing a sedge hat wearing farmer who stopped and looked as he passed. The terrain was changing from rock to earth, the gravely paths keeping most of the mud from becoming a nuisance. With every step Naruto took, dirty water leapt into the air. Already his feet were filthy, he resolved to get a pair of boots next time he had the chance.

"_Yeah, that's great…" _he thought, mentally palming his face, _"Why the hell am I thinking about that?"_

He shook his head, clearing his mind. He had a lot that he should be thinking about, and boots were far from one of them.

"First thing I gotta do is find him." he muttered, as the faint sound of rain hit his ears, coming from behind him. He pulled his sedge hat up onto his head just in case, but didn't stop for a second, "I'll probably need my Kage Bunshin for that."

"If he's got a Jonin with him, you could be easy to detect. If there's an enemy, then that could put them on alert."

Naruto grunted, Eko was right. Konan had said that Gaara was taking part in the Chunin exams, which probably meant he was in a Genin team with a Jonin sensei. Naruto wasn't certain about his own skills, since he couldn't really measure them, but he wasn't stupid enough to try and take on a Jonin, as well as anyone _else _that person may have with them.

"Guess I'll have to find out what's in this scroll." he replied, "Pein-san said it would come in handy, I think it's a Jutsu."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know, just something about what Pein-san said." Naruto answered, "It gives me that feeling."

Eko fell silent, considering Naruto's words carefully.

"Hey, can you still do that thing with the fire?" Naruto asked, looking back again.

"No, I couldn't keep Naomi's chakra any longer. What about you? Have you finished your training?"

Naruto turned his head back to the front, noticing the way his hair sat on his ears because of the rings.

"I'm not really sure." he replied, "I think I've almost got it. It's just keeping it going that's the problem."

"Only if you're gonna use it in a Jutsu."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, with a raised brow.

"What d'you mean "What do I mean"?! You know my power, right?"

"Your power?" Naruto repeated, coming to a stop, "Uh uh."

Eko gave of a feeling of intense incredulousness, focusing in Naruto disbelievingly. Naruto returned the look with blank curiosity, as he waited for the katana's reply.

"Kisame no Danna hasn't told you?"

"…"

"Damn, so that explains it… alright fine, I'll tell you about it later, when you can afford to stop."

"Uh, right!" Naruto replied, faltering before resuming his running.

* * * * *

It was later that day, and Naruto had made quite a bit of progress. He had crossed over the border of Ame and was now just past the border to the Land of Rivers. The sun had left him a while ago as it went its on way on its journey to the land of Wind, and was itself out of sight.

Naruto sat in an inn, which he had been fortunate to find. It was a simple place, kind of peaceful. He sat on the single bed and looked at Eko in the lamplight; he'd leant the katana against the wall by the window and looked questioningly.

"… What?"

Naruto blinked, realising Eko had forgotten.

"Uh… you were gonna tell me-" he began.

"Oh, right. Yeah… well, I'm not really good with explanations, so you'll have to bear with me."

Naruto nodded understandingly, and the blade paused as he collected himself.

"Well… how do I say it? Kisame no Danna's sword, the Samehada, can absorb the chakra of whatever it comes into contact with. It can then pour that chakra into Kisame no Danna's body, giving him more chakra. My ability is a little different, but it's got some similarities."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, with a blank look.

"I can absorb the nature of chakra that I come into contact with, and make it my own. Remember your fight with that Neji guy?"

"Yeah."

"Naomi gave me her Katon and Futon chakra, so I could use it to create that fire we used. Then with the Kyubi's chakra added, I made the fire stronger and wilder, the only way it could have been stopped is if _you_ were taken out, like you were."

Naruto stared with a raised brow. So, he was able to use other people's chakra natures?

"But, how is that useful?" he asked, "If we're in a fight, and you take the chakra nature of what you're hit with, then wouldn't that mean you get the same nature as the enemy?"

"Hey, I didn't_ choose _the ability, I was made with it."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, it's not just the enemy's chakra, it's your chakra as well. I have my own chakra system, so if you give me your Futon chakra I can make it my own nature and attack without using your chakra."

Naruto frowned, as he tried to understand.

"What does that mean?" he asked, as his intelligence failed him.

"It means that any attacks you make with me will be a hell of a lot stronger, without using that much of your chakra."

"Oooh…" Naruto replied, as he finally understood, "So if I master Futon chakra…"

"Then I can use it instead of you."

Naruto's eyes widened as the realisation reached him. If it was as it sounded, then that changed things. It would give him the advantage of having a second chakra store to use while his opponent used their own, meaning that they would tire out quicker. Since Naruto had a high chakra capacity, apparently, then in a match of endurance the odds would be in his favour. In that case, all there was for him to do was to become stronger, so that he could avoid taking damage long enough to get an opening…

"_And… I've lost it."_ He thought, letting his head drop. He didn't do too well with long trains of thought; that ability sort of came and went as it pleased.

He fell back on the bed, staring up at the mint green ceiling. He'd only been travelling about a day, and only as much progress. It put him at about a quarter of his journey, which wasn't good. He still had that scroll that he needed to learn from, so he would need to increase his pace. He still hadn't looked, but he knew that if it was a Jutsu, then Pein expected him to be able to learn it while making his way to the intercept point. If that was the case, then it probably wasn't a combat Jutsu. More likely than not, it was a Jutsu that would help him carrying out his mission without attracting unwanted attention. If that were the case, then now was as good a time as any to practice.

He took the scroll out from his pocket and held the little red object before him. He took the end and unfurled it, looking down at the writings placed upon it.

He had been right; it was a Jutsu of some sort. And from what he read, he'd been correct in his other guesses as well, it definitely seemed like a stealth or distraction technique. But what he hadn't been expecting was the seals. They were similar to the standard seals he knew of, but slightly different. They each had the pinkie finger held differently, in more complex positions.

"What's with these seals?" he muttered, thinking out loud, "Why are the pinkies held differently?"

"From the look of things, that scroll is pretty old, maybe even ancient. It was probably made when that finger still had a use, these days it's usually disregarded I guess."

Naruto glanced around the scroll, Eko was right again. The paper was yellowing and the ink was faded around the edges. It looked like it had been well preserved, but even that hadn't kept it completely unharmed by time.

He set it down on the bed and sat cross legged, looking down at it as he practiced the hand signs.

"_Let see…"_ he thought, as he pressed his palms together. First was the Horse seal, with the pinkies crossing each other. Then there was Hare, with the pinkies protruding, though still curled. After that was Dragon, which was exactly the same. Boar was last, with the pinkies straight, lying beside each other.

Naruto practiced running through them, it was tough to remind himself to make the slight change, but he was slowly getting it. He spent a few minutes learning the seals, while Eko watched in boredom. When he was pretty sure he had the seals down, Naruto put the scroll away.

"You're not gonna try it?"

"Not when I don't know what'll happen." Naruto replied, as he lay back on the bed, "I could end up bringing this whole place down."

"Fine, just make sure you get it done. You weren't given that on a whim, you'll probably need it."

"Yeah yeah, I can practice on the way." Naruto muttered, as he switched the lamp off. He needed some sleep, since he planned on leaving early tomorrow.

* * * * *

In the top floor of the tower, deep within Amegakure, twenty torches filled the room with their irritable muttering. They quietly stood, not turning their back on a single point, constantly looking around in unsavoury paranoia.

In the middle of the expanse, a large, peculiar form stood solemnly, like an ancient being from a child's tale. Six large legs were planted on the ground, the light of the fire reflecting off its silver surface. To those legs, a bulky body sat above the floor, battered and dented from unprofessional design. Above that body, there was the torso of a man, though such a claim could easily be dismissed . That body was so skeletal, skin seemed almost a formality. The arms and lower half of this alleged person were swallowed by the beast below, and that creature seemed unwilling to release its prisoner.

The idea that this body was of a corpse was reinforced by the many black spears which penetrated his back, the sheer weight alone forcing the person to lean forward, if nothing else.

Six thick cables connected the entity to the wall, chaining, and yet sustaining it.

The theory of the dead prisoner was suddenly falsified, as that very person stirred, raising his head to the sound of footsteps. He looked through long hair, of a shade close to blood. His single visible eye searched for the source of the echoing sound, the circles around his pupil rippling as his eye came in and out of focus.

"Konan…" he called, in a hoarse voice, "I didn't notice you come in."

"Nagato…" Konan said, in a quiet voice, "You don't look well."

"Ha, is that supposed to be a joke?" Nagato asked. Konan looked at him in alarm, shocked by his response.

"No… I…" she mumbled, as she tried to think of a response. Nagato sighed, letting his head hang.

"I'm sorry." he said, "I shouldn't have snapped. It was rude of me."

Konan paused, looking up at him. Then she continued, standing next to him as she always did.

"It's ok." she replied, "I know this isn't easy."

"You know, even with all six paths open, I always see this." he said, with a faint smile, "Even with six other fields of vision, this one still exists. I have to close my eyes just to get some sense of freedom."

Konan watched silently, Nagato often got like this when she came up here.

"Y'know, I'd like t be able to walk again." He said, raising his head and looking up at the ceiling, "You know what I would do if I could get out of this thing?"

"What?" Konan asked, with the same expression Nagato wore.

"I'd walk across the water." He answered, almost laughing, "Every time I think about it, it just gets more exciting."

"But couldn't you…" Konan began, but trailed off in case she sounded insensitive.

"No." Nagato replied, picking up on her thoughts, "The paths… with them I can use every sense, except taste and touch. The nerve cells stay dead. I can't feel anything through them."

Konan lowered her gaze, looking at the parts of the machine where Nagato's hands would be.

"I… I didn't know that." she said, with a sad look on her face, "So then… all you fell is…"

"The breeze when someone opens that door." Nagato replied, before looking down at the machine, "And this."

Konan moved her eyes to his, reading the thoughts she felt even he was unaware of. She stepped around Nagato, facing him from the front. He looked at her in surprise, his dry lips parting.

"Nagato, there's something I have to ask you." she said, her serious tone mismatched with her soft expression, "For so long, you have gone without the touch of another. It has been years. Most would have gone mad, but you haven't. Why is that?"

Nagato stared into her amber eyes, the torches weren't the only light he could see in them. He hesitated, before looking away.

"I know the answer I should give." he said, with a look of shame, "That it is my blood that gives me this strength. But… sometimes…"

His brow rose and he looked at her again as she slowly rose into the air, wings of paper formed from her back. She ascended to Nagato's level, and moved closer to him. The wings reached around her, surrounding him on either side, while she herself reached out with her hands.

The moment her soft skin touched his face, his eyes widened and an almost silent gasp slipped through his lips. She felt so warm, and so delicate. She looked him in the eye, her own giving him the look of two people who had known each other all their lives, and who had only each other.

"When I look into your eyes, I don't see Pein." she said, her expression unwavering, "I don't see the Rikudō Sennin either. All I see when I look into your eyes, is the person closest to me in the entire world."

Nagato was silent, his voice escaped him. He searched Konan's face, and saw nothing but sincerity. She slowly moved her hand across his face, brushing his hair from his eyes.

Her heart stopped.

* * * * *

It was dark and lonely in the desert. The moon was nowhere to be seen, only the light of the stars kept the world in view, like a city in the sky. The cool breeze blew over the dunes, sending a small wave of sand rushing across the floor and around his ankles.

He stared straight ahead at the figure before him, who stared back with uncaring eyes. That person raised his hand, and the sand slowly gathered around as it rushed up his body, surrounding him before he could even resist. In moments, he was completely encased, with only his face showing to his attacker.

"Sabaku-"

"Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he shot up to a sitting position, his breathing ragged and his skin sweaty. He pressed his palm against his forehead as his breathing steadily slowed, until he felt he was calm once more. He turned to Eko, knowing it was he who woke him up.

"You ok? You were tossing pretty bad."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Naruto replied, as his hand dropped to his lap, "Just thinking about the mission too much."

"Geez, _that's _what you're having nightmares about?"

"Wha- hey!" Naruto exclaimed, with an affronted look, "I wasn't having nightmares, ok?"

"All right, but I can only think of one other kinda dream that involves _that _kinda movement."

Naruto backed off, feeling his face redden a little. Goddamn it, why the hell did he have such a perverted katana?!

"Anyway, we ought'a get moving, it's morning."

Naruto blinked, before looking out the window. Eko was right, but just barely. Outside, it was still dawn, but the sun had yet to rise. It was the time known as twilight, to some it was considered beautiful. Naruto however, was always troubled by it.

"_It's like being under a Genjutsu." _he thought, _"I can see the light, but I can't see where it's coming from."_

He looked away from its cold glare, he couldn't keep his eyes upon it any longer. He got to his feet and walked into the bathroom to splash his face with some cold water.

About an hour and a half later, after washing and getting something to eat, he set off again. He didn't run this time though, he started off by walking, to allow his muscles to fully wake up. He took out the scroll again and gave it a once over, before putting it away again. Then, forming a hand sign, he prepared for some training.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. Of course, it wouldn't be _him _that was doing the training. He summoned a clone, who nodded to him before walking off to the forest to get to work.

He did that every now and then, summoned and extra clone and sent it off. He wasn't sure how much experience he would need, he didn't know if Pein had taken the abilities of the Kage Bunshin into account. But he wanted to remain alert at all times, which was why he wasn't summoning too many clones at once. He was almost completely alone out here, he wouldn't have Kisame to help him if there was trouble.

He kept to the path, watching the sun rise through the thin woods to the east. That was one of the main differences Naruto noticed between the land of Fire and the land of Rivers, that the forests weren't so thick here. That, and there was the ever present sound of running water, as the streams from Ame and all other directions intersected into the rivers, which gave this country its name.

He knew he was nowhere near where he needed to be, but with the scenery around him having changed so much, it wasn't hard to see why he made that assumption.

"So you come up with anything yet? Whatever this Jutsu is, you clearly think it's worth using, so you got a plan?""It all depends." Naruto replied, "There's no real guarantee it'd work, and even if it does what happens after is pretty much up to Gaara-san. I guess I'll just have to stay on my toes."

"… You'll stay on your toes."

"Yeah." Naruto said, with a sharp nod. He then heard Eko sigh, but didn't look back.

"Well, least we'll get into a fight."

"I'm gonna pick up the pace." Naruto said, before he started running again.

"Yeah, I'll try and keep up!"


	21. Hunter in the woods

Wooh, didn't think I was gonna make it today. I haven't been too motivated lately, but a quick look at all the reviews I've recieved in such a short time perked me up considerably, so thanks for all the support. I can't believe I've written over twenty chapters already, has it really been that long, or am I just working at an even faster rate than before? Ah well, maybe this will settle some queries you may have. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Riddle the-next-one: The blazing fire causes the leaves to scatter

* * *

**Hunter in the woods**

Naruto looked over his shoulder, smirking to himself. He had just dispersed the tenth Kage Bunshin today, and was pretty sure he'd made good progress with the Jutsu, it wasn't difficult.

He reached the end of the wooded area, and saw that the path up ahead opened into fairly empty grounds with several streams intersecting into a river. He left the trees behind and crossed over a wooden bridge, onto the path alongside the growing river.

He hadn't encountered anyone in a while, and that thought troubled him a little. He knew that Sunagakure Genin teams would be heading to Konoha, but he was starting to wonder how that would be done. Would all the teams be going as a single group, or was it left to each Jonin leader to take his or her team through to Konoha? If it was the former, then the mission would be nearly impossible for him. He wondered what he would have to do in that situation.

He couldn't exactly follow them, he knew his stealth skills weren't the greatest. He wasn't dumb enough for a head on confrontation, never mind everyone else, he didn't know how Gaara himself would react. But from what he knew, it wouldn't be good.

"_It doesn't sound like he's too interested in talking." _Naruto thought, slipping his hands into his pockets, _"If I have to fight him, I'll have to separate him from anyone else he might be with."_

"Hey Naruto."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, raising his head.

"I was just thinking, can you get that strong chakra again?"

"Huh? You mean the Kyubi's?" Naruto asked, with a surprised, yet tired look, "I don't know, I'm not really sure how I did it in the first place."

"Great… maybe that should be one of the things you work on, since it's an advantage your opponents won't have."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, looking over his shoulder, "You think I can control the Kyubi's chakra?"

"Why not?"

Naruto looked away, returning his gaze to the road. He listened as the water whispered, and the glints of eyes watched him. Was even the river afraid of the Kyubi?

Though he could see why, that chakra that coursed through his body, that gave him that adrenaline. It was terrifying.

"When we fought Neji… and that happened…" he said, in a low voice, "I changed. I became someone else. I didn't care who I hurt, I just wanted to fight. Neji… he was just on a mission, and got dragged into that situation. He didn't know me, and even if he was an arrogant jerk, he didn't judge me like everyone else did. He was just a guy following orders… so why did I want to kill him so bad?"

Eko was silent as Naruto spoke. Even when he was done, the blade remained quiet for a while. But when he finally spoke, it was quietly.

"I don't have an answer for that. Or rather, I _can't _answer that. According to Kisame no Danna, I don't have any memories of my previous wielders. But from what I've learned, it's my fault Hibiki died, because I wanted to fight so badly. So you see, you and I have the same issue."

Naruto let out a sigh, Eko was right again. It looked like they had a few things in common.

"No, that's not right." he muttered, thinking aloud.

"Why would you say that?"

"Oh, I don't mean about what you said." Naruto replied, "I was just thinking… we're a lot alike."

"… I'm not really sure how to take that."

Naruto let out a faint smile.

"We were both left on our own a lot, and we weren't trusted by the people around us." he explained, "That's why we both wanted to get stronger, to have people acknowledge and respect us."

He kicked a stone into the river, the ripples subsiding quickly from the flow of the water. He had run out of things to say, and just wondered how Eko would take it.

"I'm still gonna get stronger."

Naruto raised his brow, looking back in surprise.

"I won't let you die. No matter what, I'll stay by your side and keep you alive."

Naruto was stunned, his breath lost from him. He looked down at the blade, sensing sincerity from him.

"Eko…" he whispered, as he stared at the sword on his back.

"I always thought I had spent my entire life in that cave, but I haven't. I won't let you get killed, because I don't want to forget again."

"_Oh." _Naruto thought, turning his head back to the front. He wasn't disappointed, he didn't want Eko to lose his memories either. Still, he could have been a little more…

It didn't matter, he had bigger things to worry about.

* * * * *

Konan wandered the halls of the tower, on a level she usually didn't venture. She was dangerously close to the ground floor, a place where she only went as a formality every now and then. But she was now walking aimlessly, not even sure of where she had been, let alone where she was going.

She hadn't slept, that much was clear. It wasn't too bad, since her training could allow her to go without sleep for longer than most people. It was mainly just faint dark rings, even in her state she hadn't allowed herself to lose grace. Or maybe she was just so used to it, she didn't need to think about it.

It was a good thing, since her mind could only focus on what she saw back there, up in Nagato's room. That moment when she brushed his hair away, and looked into his eyes-

"Angel-sama?"

Konan blinked, realising she wasn't alone. One of the Shinobi on Pein's side, a man named Kohaku, looked at her with respect, but evident concern.

"Kohaku-san, how are things going?" Konan asked, regaining her composure. Kohaku quickly bowed, before replying.

"We have taken post as ordered, and are awaiting instruction." he said, standing with his arms pinned to his sides, "When shall we make our move?"

"It isn't decided yet." Konan replied, "I'll let you know when to start."

She passed him, and noticed he bowed once more, before leaving hurriedly. Once he was out of earshot, she allowed a small sigh. Her work was very stressful, and free time was few. It was a foolish idea, but she wished that one of these days she could just put on a Henge and go lose herself in the streets of Ame. But of course, she was much too busy for that.

She walked out of the hallway she was in, before coming to a pause. She hadn't realised just how far down she'd descended, that she was actually _on _the ground level. She looked out, the front doors were unwatched, and the receptionists didn't bother trying to remember the faces of the people who came here, the work before them had their attention too much so.

She eyes the doors again, a troubled expression appearing on her face. She seemed to be caught between a decision, to which the riskier side was clearly winning. Finally, she let out another sigh, before forming a hand seal and using the Henge no Jutsu to change her appearance. She now appeared as a simple woman, shoulder length light brown hair and eyes. She was also dressed simply, a long skirt and coat. She took a breath, before striding out into the main hall towards the doors. She passed through them, and entered the streets of Ame. She gazed around, no one gave her a second glance. With a slight look of relief, she began to descend the stairs.

Her shoe barely touched the first step, before she faltered. But she didn't stop, and continued on her way, showing no signs that she had acknowledged anything strange.

Even though, for some reason, she felt like Pein's eyes were upon her.

* * * * *

Naruto walked alongside the river, vaguely aware of the direction he was going. To his right was a rock face, reaching about three times his height. The sun was to his left, so he knew he must be heading south. That was something at least, since he had no tracking skills at all. He was pretty sure that the distance he had covered the day before gave him a sufficient head start, and he didn't want to go running through unfamiliar territory. Since he didn't have so much of a plan, how far ahead of Gaara he arrived didn't matter too much, just as long as he was close enough to find out the number of other Suna nin that travelled with him.

"Hey Naruto, you notice that?"

Naruto glanced around, trying to find what Eko was referring to. But he saw nothing, the only thing in the area that wasn't still was the river.

"What do you mean?" he asked, in a quiet voice.

"In the trees, I thought I saw something."

Naruto didn't look directly this time. He tried to use his peripheral vision to find what Eko did. But even then he could see nothing, just the leaves moving gently in the breeze.

"I got it." he muttered, as he raised his hands to form a seal.

"Hold on."

Naruto quickly readjusted his movements, pulling the zipper of his jacket down rather than the seal he'd intended to use.

"We don't know what they want. Don't show them your Jutsu just yet."

Naruto nodded, and continued walking around like he'd noticed nothing. It wasn't easy, he was constantly met with the urge to run, he felt quite nervous under these circumstances. At least it kept him alert, he could keep his attention on what was around him without giving anything away.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto stopped, realising he was surrounded. From the trees to the left, and above him to the right. Behind him as well. Three of the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad, the ANBU, stood around him. Kisame had taught him something of ANBU, it was the animal masks that made their identities clear. The only thing he didn't know was where they came from, though he had an idea.

"You guys from Konoha?" he asked, tensing, "Your stealth isn't great."

"You detected us?" asked the ANBU in the trees. Naruto looked pointedly at that one, noticing his mask was bird like.

"The branches were moving even though there isn't any wind." he said, "Though I gotta admit, I almost missed it."

The ANBU paused, realising his mistake.

"Who were you communicating with?" asked the ANBU above him, one who wore a mask like a wild pig. Naruto looked at him with a raised brow.

"Dunno what you mean." he said, "There's no one else here but you guys."

"He isn't using a short wave radio." stated the third ANBU, who wore a sheep mask, "Do you think it's a telepathy Jutsu?"

"No, then he wouldn't be speaking." replied bird.

"You ever stop to consider I was just talking to myself?" Naruto asked, looking around him, "What to you guys want anyway?"

"Our orders are to return you to Konoha." wild pig replied.

"Again?" Naruto said, with an exasperated look. The ANBU all gave him a harder stare, tensing at his words.

"What do you mean "again"?" asked bird.

"Explain yourself." ordered wild pig. Naruto looked between the two of them, they didn't know?

"That guy Danzo, he had some mercenaries come after me." he said, "And they took me back to Konoha."

Bird and wild pig looked at each other, while sheep kept his eyes fixed on Naruto.

"Danzo?" repeated wild pig, "Can we really believe that?"

"Naruto-san was only a civilian, he wouldn't have known much of Danzo-sama in Konoha." bird replied.

"Yes, but he is wearing an Amegakure forehead protector." sheep interjected, "And a slashed one. Reports state that he has been missing for only five weeks. How did he get into Amegakure, let alone join their ranks quick enough to betray them?"

"It appears he will have to be placed into the interrogation squad's care." bird said, "It is clear that he has either been brainwashed, or he wasn't kidnapped as the report indicate."

"_Kidnapped?" _Naruto thought, as he tensed, _"Why would they think that?"_

"Get ready, I think this is gonna start."

"You will come with us." wild pig said, "We are placing you under arrest."

Naruto tensed, looking around him. He believed he could handle a couple of Genin, was pretty sure he could take care of a Chunin. But he knew Jonin was overstepping the mark, and taking on ANBU was just plain stupid. Yet here he was, surrounded by three of them. In a head on fight, he wouldn't stand a chance. That meant he really only had one choice.

"Fine." he said, straightening up, "I'll go."

"Looks like there's gonna be a change of plan."

Wild pig nodded, he and bird gripped their ninjato, while sheep procured some rope. He bound Naruto's wrists, and the four of them crossed over the river as they headed into the woods.

Naruto looked between wild pig and bird, who were both on either side of him.

"So what's the deal?" he asked, "If the old man sent you because he thought I was kidnapped, then there's no problem. I left of my own free will, and I wasn't a Konoha Shinobi. So why do you still need to take me back?"

"Because those are our orders." was wild pigs blunt reply.

"You think I was working with Mizuki?" Naruto asked, his brow creasing, "He tricked me."

"We know that." bird replied, "Umino Iruka told us everything."

Naruto froze, stopping in his tracks. He stared at bird in disbelief, almost refusing to let in what he had just heard.

The three ANBU stopped as well, looking at him. They waited for an answer to his sudden reaction, preparing themselves to restrain him if need be.

"Iruka-sensei… he's alive?" Naruto asked, with an almost pleading look. Bird paused, before nodding.

"He was in bad shape after taking the shuriken to the back, but he has made a full recovery." he replied, "And he has been very worried about you."

"Bird…" wild pig said warningly. But bird just glanced at wild pig, before continuing.

"He has tried to convince Hokage-sama to allow him to join the search party that went after you, but he was in no condition to do so." he said, "Reports of your appearances around the land of Fire began to surface, and he convinced Hokage-sama to send us out to find you."

Naruto listened with a tight jaw. Iruka really did all that for him? He lowered his head, looking down at the ground.

"_I thought… after what Mizuki said…"_ he thought, before taking a deep breath, _"Ok… I know what I have to do."_

He slowly raised his head to the ANBU, looking straight at bird and wild pig.

"Tell Iruka-sensei… not to worry." he said, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"A Kage Bunshin!" wild pig exclaimed, whipping his head around.

Suddenly, from the surrounding trees, twenty Kage Bunshin charged at the ANBU yelling at the top of their voices. The ANBU began quickly forming hand seals, but they were too late.

"UZUMAKI KAMIKAZE!!!" the Kage Bunshin yelled, all forming seals and igniting the exploding tags attached to their bodies. The resulting explosion shook the trees as fire engulfed the surrounding area, the ANBU included.

"GOOWAH!!!"

* * * * *

The real Naruto managed to escape, and make great distance between himself and the ANBU. He wasn't making the mistake of giving them time to recuperate, his feet pounded against the ground as he flew across the plains. He summoned five extra Kage Bunshin and sent them off in different directions as an extra precaution. But he kept the rest of his chakra in reserve, just in case he would need it.

"Looks like it worked, that was some quick thinking!"

"Thanks." Naruto replied, though his expression was serious."

"Man, I was wondering why you only dispersed some of the Kage Bunshin, did you really plan for that?"

"Well, I just wasn't taking any risks." Naruto answered, though he was only vaguely paying attention. Iruka was alive, he had been ok that entire time, when Naruto had been so sure that because of his own stupidity, one of the only people who had ever been kind to him was dead.

"_I could have stayed." _he thought, _"I could have stayed there, and everything would have been the way it always had been. I could have stayed at the academy and try to pass the exam again. I could have become a Konoha Shinobi. I could have become Hokage."_

Eko sensed his feelings, and fell silent. He didn't want to interrupt Naruto's thoughts, he was rarely like this.

Naruto shook his head, looking up and ahead once more.

"_Sorry Iruka-sensei." _he thought, _"But for all the could'ves, this is what I've done. I can't turn back now."_

* * * * *

About a mile back from Naruto's position, Pein's Asura realm stood amidst a pile of boulders as he opened a scroll and summoned one of the transmitters Sasori had created. It resembled a chimney pot, with a pointed crown. It was made of a dark grey metal, and had several darker cables running in and around it. Asura placed it in among the boulders before forming a hand seal. Almost immediately, some of the cables loosened form the device and dug into the rocks. A low humming could also be heard as the machine buzzed into life, and Pein could already feel its effects.

He heard a faint sound, like a very distant explosion, and looked up. A far way off, he could see a plume of smoke grow out of the trees to the distance, and faint flickers of deep orange light.

"Very good Naruto-san." he said, with an amused smile. He then stepped down from the boulders and continued to follow that very person, taking his time, "How ingenious."

* * * * *

The sun had passed over the sky and was now making its descent. It looked like Naruto had managed to lose the ANBU, none of his Kage Bunshin had been destroyed. Figuring himself to be safe now, he dispersed them, and it was confirmed that they had all been alone.

But just to be on the safe side, he took to walking on the river. He was beginning to wonder if maybe he was being a little paranoid, but he didn't want to take any chances, especially on his first, and very vital mission. As if in tune with this, Eko had been quietly focusing for a while now, channelling his own chakra around his form.

"Hey, do you think you could teach me the walking on water Jutsu?"

"What?" Naruto asked, looking back in surprise, "You think you can do that?"

"Its just a thought, but if I could learn to stay on top of the water, then it could move on to other things. Samehada can move freely because of its shape, I want to see if I can do something like that too."

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt." Naruto replied, as he got what Eko was trying to say, "We'll try it when we stop for the night."

"Cool, thanks."

Naruto nodded, suppressing a grin. It was a strange feeling for someone to ask him to do something like that, it was a little heart warming.

"So what do you think you could do then?" he asked.

"I dunno, but if we were on the water and you dropped me, you'd have to go for a swim to get me back. If we're in a fight, then that's not a good thing. Then again, if I could get really good at it, then we could turn it around and I could attack from below while you distract the enemy."

Naruto blinked, that wasn't a half bad idea. Still, it wouldn't be until later that they would find out if it was possible, since Eko couldn't form seals or anything.

"Hey wait a minute." he said, as he suddenly had a thought, "How did you manage to do that thing with the fire if you can't even do basic chakra control?"

"Because I wasn't controlling that chakra. It stayed the way it was given to me, as Katon and Futon. All I had to do was release it. Neji's Jutsu caused the tornado, which I thought was pretty cool."

"Right, so by learning chakra control, you can make more precise attacks and stuff?" Naruto speculated.

"Yeah, I guess."

Naruto nodded. In that case, it was definitely something he'd need to prioritise. Eko was perhaps the best weapon in his arsenal, since he could work with him instead of just using him. That meant that he didn't have to rely on his abilities alone, Eko could seriously help him out. And the fact that he could get stronger just like a ninja, that made him even more incredible.

* * * * *

That night, Naruto stopped by the river. There had been no inns in sight, so it looked like he was sleeping outside. That was just fine, since he doubted he'd be allowed to bring a katana into the baths anyway.

He knelt by the water, and reached in. it wasn't especially deep, maybe it was really a stream and not a river at all. He ran his hands across the pebbles and pushed them along, forming a small wall in the water. When he was satisfied it was long enough, he unsheathed Eko and held him at eye level.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Uh… sure."

Naruto nodded, before gently lowering Eko into the water. As expected, he sank, but because of the makeshift wall he wasn't swept away. Naruto then sat back, leaning against the tree just behind him.

"Can you hear me?" he asked, folding his arms and looking amused.

"Yeah, my senses aren't the same as humans."

"Ok then, first you gotta channel your chakra." Naruto explained, "Then release it steadily, but give it a strong amount, since your trying to get out of the water."

He waited as he felt Eko try to do just that. He knew this wouldn't be easy for the blade, since he couldn't even learn the wall climbing Jutsu beforehand. Or… could he? Naruto wasn't really sure how to test for that, since Kisame had advised to give a running start at first. Would he have to throw Eko at a tree?

He shook his head, resisting a laugh. He didn't really know how he would pitch _that _idea to Eko.

"Gr-rr… it's not working."

"Don't worry about it." Naruto replied, taking Eko back out the water, "You won't get it right away. Besides, it'd probably be better if we got Kisame-sensei to teach you."

"Tch, you think it's worth the risk?!"

"Hey, you gotta learn somehow." Naruto said, "Maybe Samehada-san could teach you."

""Samehada-san"? Don't even bother with formalities when it comes to him. You know that noise he makes? That's pretty much the height of his intelligence. He knows who has "tasty" chakra, and who doesn't."

"Oh." was Naruto's feeble reply, as he shook the water off the blade and ran the safe sides across his cloak. He then returned him to his sheath, before removing it and placing it beside him. He slouched down, resting his hands behind his head. In the quiet, it was easy for his mind to slip back into other thoughts.

"_It should be tomorrow." _he told himself, _"If it's gonna happen, it's tomorrow… Iruka-sensei… don't be disappointed in me."_

He slowly closed his eyes, and after a while he drifted off into a troubled sleep.


	22. Sandstorm

A little later than usual, I know. But hopefully this is worth the wait, I think I'm actually becoming better with these kind of scenes than with others now, which is a change from where I started off. I've found it easier to write in other locations, I've been having a hard time getting inspired in my room lately. Pity the most effective place for writing seems to be college... during class... and the last day of term is tomorrow...

Disclaimer: my little sister's gonna be coming through for Christmas... this sucks...

* * *

**Sandstorm**

Naruto crouched in a tree, closing his eyes as he steadied his focus. The shadows of the branches cast across his face, small rays of sunlight breaking through onto his skin. The wind blew peacefully around him, through the leaves and his hair, quiet whispers of encouragement.

He gripped the bough beneath him, leaning forward as he waited patiently for the results of his plan.

Right about now, seven bandits should be waiting for the opportunity to ambush a group from Sunagakure. Of course, they weren't actual bandits.

Naruto's eyes snapped open as his Kage Bunshin were systematically destroyed.

Four ninja, two teenage boys and a girl with a middle aged man. Three out of four stepped aside as the youngest boy stepped forward.

It was Gaara.

"_Now!"_ Naruto thought, as he began running through seals, _"Horse, Hare, Dragon, Boar!"_

He then cupped his hands around his mouth and faced the direction the Suna team were positioned.

"_Ninja art: Biju Resonance Call!" _he thought, before whistling as loud and high pitched as he could.

The tune reverberated through his hands and passed through the trees. Naruto kept his eyes closed as in his mind, he saw the sound waves bounce and travel at a very high speed in the direction he faced. Faint images appeared behind his eyelids, but nothing clear. Then, about three hundred yards away, the sound waves struck something hard, and immediately formed around the figure.

It was almost like he was looking at an outline of Gaara up close. Red sparks bounced off his body, revealing his shape perfectly. He even saw Gaara whip his head around to Naruto's direction, and watched his lips move so clearly, he could easily read them.

"I'm leaving." Gaara said, before disappearing in a haze.

Naruto smirked, opening his eyes as he straightened up. It looked like it had worked, he was a little surprised himself. He watched as sand billowed around the tree in front of him, and Gaara himself appeared through the beige mist.

"_So it _is_ red hair."_ Naruto thought, as he met the gaze of the boy before him.

"Who are you?" Gaara demanded, though he didn't raise his voice.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, "Your name's Gaara, right?"

"Why did you call me?" Gaara asked, ignoring the question.

"There's just something I wanna talk to you about." Naruto said, as he sat down on the branch, "This might take a while, you wanna sit down?"

Gaara stared down at him stoically, his arms folded. Naruto let out a small laugh, which caused Gaara to crease his brow in anger.

"You look just like the picture." Naruto explained, "Looks like Zetsu-san's Jutsu is pretty accurate."

"What was that Jutsu?" Gaara asked, ignoring Naruto's statement once more.

"Oh, it's just something that only people like us can use." Naruto replied.

"Pretty ignorant guy, isn't he?"

Naruto glanced out the corner of his eye to Eko, but didn't reply.

"What do you mean "people like us"?" Gaara asked, frowning, "What is it that you have in common with myself?"

"That's easy." Naruto replied, leaning forward, "You have the Ichibi no Shukaku sealed inside of you, right?"

Gaara's eyes were now but slits, Naruto could sense the killer intent emanating from his short frame.

"What does that have to do with this?" he asked, his grip on his arms tightening.

"I'm like you." Naruto said, with a confident look, "I've got the Kyubi no Yoko."

For some reason, Gaara's stature suddenly seemed to loosen up, as if he was relaxing or something. His look changed from contempt to interest, though the killer intent he was exuding remained.

"The Kyubi no Yoko?" he repeated, "I see… so why do you approach me?"

"I wanna make an offer to you." Naruto replied.

"An offer…" Gaara muttered, as he glanced off to his left, "Then you're in league with that person…"

"Zetsu-san?" Naruto guessed, grinning, "Yeah, but I'm guessing he gave you the wrong impression of things- WHOA!!!"

Naruto fell back suddenly as a wall of sand rushed out to strike him. With his chakra, he managed to maintain his connection to the bough. He hung upside down, crouching as he looked at Gaara with a smirk.

"I sorta knew it was gonna end up like this." He said, as Ekokaeten slowly slid from his sheath, "I've been kinda nervous about for the past few days. But now that I'm here, I can't stop grinning."

He grabbed Eko's hilt and whipped the katana around, holding the blade across his face.

"Wow, you _are_ pumped."

"You fight with a katana." Gaara stated, as the sand crept back towards him, "Then you don't stand a chance."

"It's not just a katana." Naruto replied, as he placed a hand on the bough, "You'll soon find out what that means."

Naruto disappeared in a flicker of dust, and reappeared next to Gaara, slashing out with his sword. He already knew what would happen, one of the "bandits" had tried something similar.

As predicted, the sand rushed in and formed a defensive barrier between the blade and Gaara. Naruto leapt straight past, and kicked off the branch behind Gaara. He leapt up to higher ground as Gaara's eyes, and the sand, followed him.

"Pitiful." Gaara muttered, as the sand sped up and smashed the branch Naruto landed on. But he was already gone again, landing on the ground below.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, summoning four clones behind him.

Together, they surrounded the tree Gaara stood on and ran up it in a spiralling pattern. They all brandished their katana and dragged the tips across the bark, leaving their trail behind.

Gaara didn't stand and watch though. He sent the sand on a course to intercept them, covering their path ahead.

The five Naruto's all leapt around to Gaara's branch and slashed out, not at Gaara, but that which he stood on. Four katana cut through the wood, which quickly snapped under the pressure and fell to the ground, Gaara with it.

The impact with the ground caused a colossal cloud of dust and sand, completely obscuring the damage. The five Naruto's landed back on the tree, watching for the result. It was a bad move, as they were suddenly struck with the severed bough, all but the original Naruto disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Don't let your guard down!"

"Got it!" Naruto replied, as he landed on the ground.

The mass of sand seemed to slow, but it didn't settle. Gaara's form was visible through the fair toned fog, he stood still with his arms folded, facing Naruto. He then moved one of his hands out, and thrusted forward with an open palm.

The sand obeyed his command, and shot at Naruto in a rushing gale. Naruto dodged to the left, rolling behind a tree for cover. He barely avoided getting pierced by thousands of minute grains, as the tree that had been behind him so revealed. When the attack subsided, the bark had been blasted away completely, leaving nothing but smooth wood behind.

Naruto pressed his back against the tree, facing his left as he listened out for signs of movement.

"You're pretty eager." he called out, "Any reason you wanna fight?"

"You possess a demon, just like I." Gaara's voice replied, "Therefore, you are worthy to kill."

"Uh… I'll take that as a compliment." Naruto said, as he quietly summoned clones to the surrounding trees, "So why do you wanna kill me?"

"To prove my existence." Gaara replied, before thrusting his fist to the tree Naruto had taken cover at. Like the fist he made, the sand smashed through the wood like it was glass, shards of bark scattering everywhere.

Naruto ran up the tree as it descended upon him, heading round to the other side. Then he leapt off, just before the natural column crashed into the ground. He landed on the ground running, heading straight for Gaara with Eko held at shoulder height, the tip pointing straight towards the Suna Shinobi. Gaara waited patiently for the futile attack, his sand surrounding him to defend.

Suddenly, kunai flew in from every direction, explosive tags fluttering in the wind. They ignited as they drew nearer, and exploded upon impact. Naruto released a hand from Eko's hilt and held it forward, his palm reaching through the smoke from the explosion.

"_There!" _he thought, as he pumped Futon chakra into and out his hand.

The dull thud he heard told him he had broken through the wall of sand, and he followed up by stabbing through with his katana.

But the moment his blade was through, the sand closed the gap and gripped it tight, not allowing it to move any further forward.

"_Shit!"_ Naruto thought, as the smoke fully dissipated. Gaara stood facing him, he hadn't even flinched from the explosion. He raised his hand, and the sane crept across the blade towards Naruto's hand, _"Damn it!"_

He pivoted on the spot, and with all his strength he tore the blade out from the sands clutches, dashing away to avoid a follow up attack.

"LEFT!"

Naruto rolled to the left at Eko's warning, avoiding being crushed by the ramming sand that came at him from behind. He spun around to face Gaara, crouched on the ground with the safe edge of Ekokaeten resting against the back of his neck. Gaara faced him with the same look he had worn throughout the entire fight.

"Nothing can penetrate the sand." he said, "This is my ultimate defence."

"Ultimate defence?" Naruto repeated, as he began running forward, "Yeah right!"

He leapt into the air, holding Eko over his head. Gaara raised his head as Naruto ascended, preparing to counterattack.

"_THOOM!"_

One of the Kage Bunshin attacked from behind, the sand blocking his katana. Gaara glanced back, but quickly returned his gaze to Naruto.

"HAAAAAA!!!" Naruto screamed, lunging forward. But instead of attacking with Ekokaeten, he flipped in the air and planted his feet on the shield of sand. He then kicked off immediately, latching onto a tree, "So that's what it is huh? You're not controlling that shield, are you?"

Gaara didn't reply, but instead gathered all his sand around his feet. When all of it had returned, he raised both of his hands, fingers outstretched and facing the ground. The sand rose along with them in a cloud, forming a large pile between him and Naruto. Then, just by quickly outstretching his fingers, the cloud of sand rushed Naruto.

He prepared to dodge it again, when Gaara suddenly turned his hands so the palms faced each other. He then pulled them apart, and the sand did just that. Instead of ramming Naruto, it split open, like it was opening gaping jaws. Naruto barely had time to react as he was surrounded, but at the last moment he managed to dive backwards, flipping through the air.

"GWAH!!!" he cried out, as the sand pummelled him in the back. He felt his entire body bend as he was thrown into a tree, and was pretty sure a couple of ribs cracked from the impact.

"Naruto! You ok?"

"Guh!" Naruto exhaled, as he fell to the ground. Gaara returned the sand to his position, and folded his arms once more.

"You told me you had the Kyubi sealed within you." he said, as his eyes narrowed, "Show it to me."

Naruto placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself up, looking at Gaara with a wincing eye. His chest hurt like hell, and his back wasn't exactly relaxed either. It felt like he'd tried sunbathing in a landslide.

"You wanna see the Kyubi?" Naruto asked, as he gripped the tree and pulled himself to his feet, "What for? You think I need it?"

"In any case, I will kill you." Gaara replied, "Prove to me that you are who you say you are, or I will make this very painful for you."

Naruto grunted, taking a step forward. Put the pressure was too much, he fell back to his knees, his palms pressed against the ground.

"_Man, this hurts like hell!" _he thought, as he held his hand to his side.

Gaara lowered his gaze slightly, and annoyed look on his face.

"I see… so you can't even stand." he said, "Then whether you possess the Kyubi or not doesn't matter. You're worthless."

Naruto's eyes widened as once more the sand rushed at him, thrashing through the air as it desperately sought to devour him. He tried to get out of the way, but all he managed to do was fall to the ground.

"_Damn it!" _he thought, before tossing Eko aside.

"NARUTO!!!"

Naruto braced himself as the sand fell upon him, covering his entire body. He couldn't see, or even breath in the rough cocoon that encased him. He was completely constricted, and he could only feel things getting tighter.

"_Shit!" _he cursed, _"I can't die here!"_

"_It looks like you could use a hand."_

If Naruto could have opened his eyes, they would have been wide in shock.

"_Pein-san?!" _he thought, silently stunned.

"_I will help you find that power."_

Naruto tried to nod, but all he could do was wait. The sand was still tightening, it was like Gaara wanted to do this slowly as punishment for wasting his time. Naruto was finding it hard to breathe, he couldn't even inhale. Slowly, and painfully, he found himself losing interest, as he almost fell asleep.

* * * * *

"Huh?" Naruto looked around, wondering why he was on his feet all of a sudden.

"_Thum..."_

He appeared to be in a sewer of sorts, rusted walls lay in forgotten shadows, rising past the point that the eye cared to see. Water gathered around his feet, shifting in rhythm to the passing ripples, a collective sigh from a lonely distance. He walked through the empty corridors, a tired feeling of indifference coming from every direction, he went completely unnoticed even as his steps echoed and his feet caused new ripples, chaos in the tranquillity that had lasted in this place for so long.

"_Thum..."_

He placed his hand on the wall as he walked through, feeling none of the grime on his fingers. He found a side path and paused, watching the water on the floor curiously. In the same pattern, the ripple cast out across the floor. It seemed to come from this path, so Naruto made a decision and walked through it to find its source.

"_Thum..."_

He passed through the tighter hallway into a large chamber, with what appeared to be a giant iron gate before him. Naruto looked at the bars, noticing no locks or chains, but a single piece of paper stuck between the gates, with strange writing cast across it. Naruto moved closer to study it, it looked like a seal of some sort.

"_Thum… thum… thum…"_

Naruto slowly raised his arm, his outstretched hand reaching for the seal with curiosity. His fingers brushed the seal, and a giant eye snapped open.

"AH!" Naruto cried out, stepping back in shock. He stared at the eye that was fixed upon him. In this place, it was the sun, gleaming yellow sclera casting its light through the world. The long black slit of a pupil scanned Naruto closely, with only the vaguest of interests.

"_Thum… thum… thum…"_

"_Is that… its heart?" _Naruto thought, as he realised the immensity of the creature before him.

It slowly raised its head, turning to look straight at Naruto, its other eye revealing itself. Along with that, its lips split open, and gave Naruto the widest grin he had ever seen.

"So the jailor finally pays his prisoner a visit." the beast said, its massive fangs clicking against each other with every sharp consonant.

"You're… the Kyubi?" Naruto asked, feeling a little weak in the knees. The beasts eyes narrowed slightly, though his grin became more amused.

"I am." it replied, and you are here because you need my strength.

Naruto's eyes widened as he remembered why he was here, he was in the middle of a fight.

"Uh, yeah…" he replied, as he tried to force strength into his words, "I need your chakra!"

"A peculiar way to request something." the Kyubi said, with a malicious look, "Yet… intriguing… very well, I shall grant your wish."

It then opened its jaws wide, and released a guttural roar that blasted through Naruto, sending his cloak and hair billowing back as he shielded his eyes.

* * * * *

Growing bored of his little game, Gaara outstretched his fingers once more as he prepared to finish the fight. He stared down at the large pile of sand on the ground, that completely engulfed Naruto's body. His expression of distaste showed that he had been in no way impressed by his opponents apparent "strength".

"Sabaku-" he began, before the sand exploded into the air.

Naruto stood on his feet, his arms hanging limply before him as he stared at the ground. The air around him hazed with malevolent chakra, the temperature rising dramatically.

He brought his hand to the tie around his collar, and pulled his cloak off, tossing it aside. He then gripped the zipper of his jacket and pulled it down, letting it flap open in the unnatural thermals of his aura.

He slowly lifted his head, locking his red eyes on Gaara's, who's had widened at the sight before him. He raised his other hand, and held both of them with his fingers curled like claws.

He stared at Gaara with no remorse, resent or regret. He just looked on with the bestial patience of a predator. Gaara on the other hand seemed to have different views of this fight. A manic grin spread across his lips, and his eyes widened as adrenaline pumped through his static body.

"I see, so this is the Kyubi's power." he said, visibly shaking with excitement, "So you have that power after all."

"This fight's not over." Naruto replied, with complete seriousness, "I'm not gonna quit."

Gaara made the next move, slashing the air with his hand. The sand rushed Naruto from the right, but this time he didn't dodge. He instead ran straight for Gaara, running his hand across the attacking mass and leaving his trail behind as he bore down upon the red haired Jinchuriki at a speed he hadn't possessed before. He reached him in moments, and slashed with the same hand that he'd dragged across the sand. Gaara stared at the long lines left in his shield of sand, his eyes of complete shock.

Naruto leapt back, running to the spot he had thrown Eko. He grabbed the katana and raised it again, before quickly returning to the fight.

"AW YEAH, WE'RE BACK!"

Eko's previous concern vanished as he felt the surge of chakra course through him, and he was hit with a rush greater than what Gaara was experiencing.

Naruto ran at Gaara again, not towards him. He slashed as he passed by, and predictably the sand blocked the attack.

Gaara whipped around to keep his eyes on Naruto, but had to turn again as Naruto passed him on the other side. He then noticed the sand defend him again, and realised he was now being attacked by Kage Bunshin as well, each one just as fast as the original.

"It doesn't matter how many you use, or how fast you attack." he said, as he raised his hands, "My defence is impenetrable."

"Who says I'm tryna penetrate it?" Naruto asked, as he passed once more.

Gaara followed Naruto around, and his gaze shot up as he suddenly realised that a tree was about to fall upon him. He instantly raised his hands to block it, and the sand followed, rushing against the tree and grinding it to a halt.

The immense weight of the tree was so great however, that he was struggling to even keep it in place. He slipped down onto his knee, his arms shaking under the strain. But he was distracted by the sounds of footsteps, turning around just as Naruto's fist filled his view.

It struck, and Gaara's head was forced to the side as Naruto threw all his weight into the punch. He fell to the side, and the sand moved along with it, causing the tree to land on the ground between him and Naruto.

"Looks like he's out. That shield of his was tough."

"Yeah, but he couldn't block the tree and my attacks as well." Naruto agreed, as he straightened up. Gaara lay in the dirt, facing away from him.

He turned around, heading to get his cloak. The crimson mantle was stuck to a branch, waving lightly in the breeze. He reached out to it, but faltered as he heard a sound. He slowly looked back, his eyes widening as he saw the sand gather around Gaara in a sphere, surrounding and entrapping his body.

"What?" Naruto thought aloud, as he made the full turn to face the sphere of sand.

"It looks like his sand shield is acting on its own."

Unsure, Naruto quickly ran through the hand seals for the Biju Resonance Call and used it, whistling through his hands again towards Gaara. He closed his eyes and let the chakra augmented sound waves do their job. He watched as they hit the sand, and he almost missed what happened, because it was Biju chakra coursing through the sand.

But inside it, he could vaguely see Gaara's form… he placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself to a crouched position. Then he… started running through a strange series of hand seals, Naruto had no idea what they were for.

Suddenly, the chakra spiked and Naruto's Jutsu was dispelled, leaving him blind to what was going on inside the sphere. He didn't like that, it wasn't Gaara's chakra that had cancelled it.

"Looks like things are about to get worse."

"I'm not letting him finish that Jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Four clones flickered into existence, standing in front of Naruto as they waited. He raised Ekokaeten to them, and they positioned themselves around it. Then, they each raised their hands, placing them on the shining metal blade as they channelled their chakra.

"You ready for this?" Naruto asked, staring down at Eko.

"It's time for my song, lets do this."

Naruto smirked, as he and the others transformed their chakra into Futon chakra, and pumped it into the blade. When he was satisfied, he made the four clones disperse. He then held Eko at shoulder height, the blade facing levelly to his right. A faint aura appeared at the tip, first blue, then red. The aura lengthened and formed an extension of the sword, by at least a half of what it had been before. He then repositioned it so the blade was to the right of his head, both hands gripping the hilt tight. He took his first step, and ran at his highest speed, heading straight for the sand sphere.

"_Here it comes!"_ he thought, as he neared his target.

He lunged forward, but came to a skidding halt. He'd barely managed to avoid impaling himself on the spikes that erupted from the barrier before him, that reached out blindly for him. Something caught his eye, and he glanced up. Was that an eye hovering in the air.

"That must be another of his Jutsu!" he thought, as a smirk spread across his lips, _"Well at least he'll get to see this as it happens!"_

He gripped the hilt even tighter, and channelled the Kyubi's chakra through his body. He pumped all of it into Eko, who reacted rather violently to it.

"WHOOO! WHOA-WHOA-WHOA! HAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!"

The chakra at the end of the blade extended at a rate that was much too fast to dodge, and shot clean through the shield of sand, sticking out the other side.

At first their was silence. Then the spikes slowly began to wither as Naruto head a barely audible whimper coming from inside the sphere. But that whimper soon grew louder, though not perfectly coherent, he could still make out what was being said.

"It's… it's blood." came Gaara's hoarse voice, steadily rising in pitch as terror and disbelief filled it, "It's… _my_ blood. _My _blood. It's my blood. It's MY blood. IT'S MY BLOOD!!!"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as the sphere split open, and something shot out at him. He rolled out of the way, as a monstrous arm grasped at the empty air. It was a massive, beige thing with blue markings running across it like cracks or veins. The hand was clawed, with darkened and very lethal looking tips. What the hell was that?!

"I think things are about to get bad."

Naruto rolled back again as the shield of sand crumbled away, leaving Gaara clutching his right shoulder tightly, blood marking his clothes, and running down that arm… _his_ arm.

Gaara straightened up, looking at Naruto with an expression of both joy and rage, the look of maliciousness rivalled only by the Kyubi's.

"You made me bleed…" he said, in a voice that almost failed to contain the insane laughter desperate to escape, "You made me bleed… now I will make you bleed… I WILL COVER THIS ENTIRE FOREST, WITH YOUR BLOOD!!!"


	23. Heavenly subjugation

I'm actually pretty curious about the responses I'll get from this chapter. I guess this could be one of those places where my flare for originality shows up, I guess we'll just see. In any case, with my little sister coming through in two days time, you'll probably see much more intense and brutal scenes, as I'll most likely have to blow off some steam. Guess it's a good thing if I can redirect like that, but it's just not quite the same as slapping the pratt, am I right? Heh heh, course I don't need violence, I'm a psychology student.

Disclaimer: Riddle after the last: with a bird and a call, the fire loses all.

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**Heavenly subjugation**

Naruto lowered his stance as he faced Gaara, keeping an eye on that monstrous arm. He gripped Ekokaeten tight, it looked like this fight was about to bet even more difficult.

The sand arm retracted as Gaara pulled it back, brandishing it like a flail or a whip. In either case, even though it was his appendage, he didn't use it as such.

"It's just the sand covering his arm."

"Yeah." Naruto replied, with a quick nod.

Gaara watched Naruto's face closely, his shoulders shaking lightly and his bestial grin almost foaming with anticipation.

"More… show me more of your power!" he demanded, "I WANT TO SEE IT ALL!!!"

He threw his arm at Naruto, and the sand slung at him at a breakneck speed. If he hadn't leapt at just that moment, it would have done just that to him. He took Eko in his hands and pointed the tip downwards as he drove it into the demonic extremity. But Gaara didn't even blink, and just whipped the arm back, leaving a long tear across it. But it soon repaired as it filled with sand once more.

Naruto removed Eko from the ground and leapt back, holding the blade at chin height.

"Looks like it really is sand." he muttered, "Which means I can't cut it either."

"Looks like we'll have to attack his body again."

"It won't be that-" Naruto began, but was interrupted by another lash of the giant arm.

He rolled out of the way, sheathing Eko in the process.

"What are you doing?!"

"I need my hands!" Naruto replied, as he formed a seal, "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The surrounding trees suddenly filled with copies of Naruto, all of them completely surrounding Gaara, who looked around angrily at them, a low hissing coming from his clenched teeth. He tightened his arm, and swung it before the clones could act.

The trees shattered from the force of the blow, but the clones all dodged out of the way. Trees collapsed in every direction, sending waves of dust flying through the area.

One hundred Naruto's leapt into the air as they avoided the attack, holding one hundred katana high over their heads. The ones closest slashed at the arm, bringing the blades down as hard as they could. They impacted, but that was all they did.

"_He can still harden the sand then."_ Naruto thought, as he joined the rest of them in converging on the Suna Shinobi. Gaara whipped his hand back, and lashed again, taking out some of the clones as it shot forward. But many of them still got through, and close enough to strike with their katana. But their attacks failed as the sand defended him, _"And he's still got that barrier."_

"Got any ideas?"

Naruto leapt back as Gaara pulled his arm back, taking out many more of the Kage Bunshin in the process as they were pulled into a crushing grip.

"Cutting him isn't gonna work." Naruto muttered in reply, as the mass of smoke from the clones obscured Gaara's vision, "I gotta lead him to the river."

"Why are you holding back Uzumaki?!" Gaara demanded, as he batted the smoke away, "Show me your power!"

"_What power?"_ Naruto thought feebly, _"This is about all I've got!"_

Hell if he was going to let Gaara know that though. He turned away and ran in the opposite direction, throwing a kunai with an explosive tag back. The metal knife whistled as it flew at Gaara, the tag fluttering in the wind. Gaara defended with his mutated arm, the weapon penetrating his arm just as the tag ignited. He absorbed it into his arm just before it exploded, sand bursting but containing the expected flames.

"I won't let you get away!" he yelled, as he bent over.

His gourd began to bulge as the bottom grew out, just like his arm had. Naruto watched over his shoulder as this happened, and he was suddenly getting a very bad feeling. Was that a tail?!

It grew and trailed above Gaara, as large and thick as that arm, which also seemed to be changing. The sand grew along it and spread across his neck, crawling up his face.

"FEEL THE POWER OF MY EXISTENCE!" he roared, as the sand turned the right side of his face into a grotesque beast's.

The then whipped his arm to the right, and his tail lashed to the left, grasping two of the taller stumps on either side of him. He then pulled himself back, keeping a tight grip on the wood. Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what Gaara was about to do.

"Oh shi-" he began.

"MOVE!!!"

But it was no use, Gaara thrusted himself forward at an incomprehensible speed, if he wasn't heading straight for Naruto, he would have disappeared completely. as it was, Naruto's vision was now filled with two large beige forms, and it was hastily growing larger.

In a last second decision, he fell back on the ground, thrusting his hands up at Gaara as he passed overhead. He pushed as much Futon chakra as he could in that instant into his palms, and forced it out into Gaara's chest. It wasn't much, with the sand Gaara was heavier than normal, but it was enough to send him off course and overshoot the mark by just a few metres.

Gaara rolled across the ground, getting back on his feet in an instant and facing Naruto from a crouched position. Naruto got back up as well, and took the exact same stance as Gaara.

"DON'T MOCK ME!" Gaara roared, lunging at Naruto with an outstretched arm. Naruto held Eko vertically and pushed the edge against the demonic appendage, keeping as steady as he could as he was pushed across the ground. He leapt into the air, and once more he channelled Futon chakra, and pumped it into Eko.

"It's all you!" he yelled, as he swung the blade in a wide arc.

Eko acted accordingly and manipulated the chakra, sending it out in a wave. It flew out like a razor, the air rippling around it as it struck Gaara's arm and sliced clean through it, causing the hand to drop uselessly on the ground.

But Gaara barely noticed. He just thrusted his stump of an arm back into the pile, and when he pulled back it was like Naruto hadn't even made an attack in the first place.

"It will take more than that to wound me!" he snarled, as he leapt at Naruto again, once more throwing his arm.

Naruto leapt high into the air to dodge it, only to discover that Gaara's attack was a feint. He grunted in pain as the tail slammed into his chest, pummelling him into the tree behind him. The tail the coiled around the wooden column, binding Naruto to it so tight he that he was already losing feeling in his arms.

"It is over!" Gaara said, his voice shaking with excitement as once more the sand spread across him, now completely covering his face, "NOW YOU WILL DIE!!!"

Naruto yelled in pain as Gaara's grip tightened, and lost most of his breath because of it. Once more, he was trapped in Gaara's grasp, and everyone was slowly fading. But he was getting a strange feeling, unlike the last time.

"Shi… shi…" he gasped, as he tried to speak.

"It's no use!" Gaara cackled, as his other arm mutated as well.

"Shi- Shinra…" Naruto breathed, before screaming out, "TENSEI!!!"

Gaara's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he was suddenly hit with an incredible force, and was torn from the tree that he'd clung to, the tail ripping off as he was blasted through the forest. He was out of range before he could even cry out, and Naruto was left falling to the dirt as the tail crumbled back into fine sand. He panted heavily as once again colour returned, in a disorienting pulse. His chest hurt like hell, he had a feeling he may have snapped another rib.

He didn't try to think about why he was still able to move, broken ribs should have left him in serious condition. He instead slowly pushed himself back to a kneeling position, picking up Eko who he'd dropped when his arms went numb.

"What the hell was that?!"

"I… I don't know." Naruto replied, as he raised his head, "I've never even heard of that Jutsu."

"Then how did you manage to use it?"

Naruto didn't have an answer to that, but he did notice something strange. With his free hand, he touched the piercings on his left ear. For some reason, they felt a little warm.

He shook that thought from his mind, the answer to the obvious question couldn't be given now anyway. He had to get back to Gaara, he couldn't lose him now. Though as he thought about it, he knew that Gaara wouldn't flee. All the same, he headed through the trees, grabbing his discarded cloak and throwing it back on.

He could see the direction Gaara had gone, there was a trail across the ground where he had tried to slow himself down. Just how strong was that Jutsu?

He wanted to run, to catch up to Gaara as fast as possible. He knew he should be resting, most likely Gaara would try to find him again anyway. But he just didn't want to take the chance, those other Suna nin could show up at any moment. He made his way through, and didn't notice as his eyes fade back to blue and everything else about him changed back to normal.

As he walked, the sound of water started to rise, and he could see light through the trees as the forest opened up into a plain. Just before him, in the river, Gaara lay, the sand on his body washing away with the flow. He appeared to be unconscious, his head just barely above the surface of the river. Naruto didn't waste any time in pulling him out, he couldn't let him drown.

He lay Gaara out on the grass, straightening him out as best as he could. Gaara may have been small, but so was he. Afterwards, he rolled over onto his own back, breathing heavily from the collective strain.

"Man… that was tough." he muttered to himself. He looked over at Gaara, who almost looked like he was asleep. But he could see the faint signs, consciousness was returning to him.

"_Should I restrain him?"_ Naruto thought, as Gaara's brow twitched slightly. But before he could make that decision, Gaara's eyes snapped open.

In an instant, the red haired boy was on top of Naruto, his fingers grasping the blonde's throat. Naruto desperately tried to prise him off, but he was pretty tired himself, while Gaara expended a lot less energy in their fight. But Gaara was still weak, the wound in his shoulder opened again and he quickly lost his strength. Naruto pushed him over, and Gaara was on his back again, gripping his shirt where he had been impaled.

"The fight's over!" Naruto grunted, as he pushed himself to his knees, "You don't have any sand left, so you can't stop your bleeding on your own."

"I'll… kill you." Gaara snarled, though it ended in a groan of pain. Naruto clenched his fists, he was finding it hard not to hit this guy. But he had a mission to complete, and he wouldn't be able to carry Gaara to Amegakure.

He reached behind him and removed his pouch, placing it on the ground. He opened it and took out a roll of bandages, before looking at Gaara, who was watching him through squinting eyes.

"I'll admit, I'm not very good at this." Naruto said, as he tried to remember the basic first aid he'd learned back at the Academy. He took out a kunai, to which Gaara's eyes narrowed further.

"Bastard…" he growled.

"Hey, I don't want you bleeding to death." Naruto said, as he took the blade to Gaara's shirt and cut it open, "At least like this we can talk without you trying to kill me."

He pulled off Gaara's sleeve after trimming it all the way around. It hadn't been easy, Gaara wasn't helping.

"Why should I talk to you?" Gaara asked, through clenched teeth.

"Because we're the same." Naruto replied. Gaara glared.

"Don't compare me to you." he growled, "You won't even kill me when you have the chance."

"You're blaming me for that?!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the boy before him incredulously.

"The fact that you would show compassion to another, in any form, makes you pathetic." Gaara hissed.

That was it. Naruto couldn't handle anymore. He grabbed Gaara by the scruff of his neck and pulled him up so they were face to face.

"Who the hell are you to say that to the guy that's trying to keep you alive?!" he demanded, glaring at Gaara, "Just because I don't want you to die, that makes me pathetic?!"

"Why?!" Gaara countered, returning Naruto's look equally, "What reason do you have to keep me alive?!"

Naruto froze, his expression dropping. He looked at Gaara blankly, as if unsure of what he'd just heard. He wanted to know… his reason?

He lowered Gaara back onto the ground, taking the boy by surprise, though he didn't show it. Naruto then continued with what he'd been doing, unrolling the bandages.

"I'm from Konohagakure." he explained, as he began wrapping the bandages, "No one told me about the Kyubi, I'd never even heard of it before. But everyone else seemed to know that it was sealed inside me, and they hated me for it. No one trusted me, and almost no one wanted to get close to me. There were a couple of people, but even they only had so much faith in me.

"I trained every day, I wanted to become a great ninja and earn everyone's respect. It was my dream to become Hokage, then everyone would acknowledge me.

"Nearly two months ago, the Genin exams took place. I'd already failed it before, but I was determined to pass this time. I went in and did the best I could, but it just wasn't enough."

Gaara listened to Naruto's words, only showing faint interest, though it was disdainful.

"Then one of my teachers, Mizuki, told me that if I could steal one of the sealed scrolls from the Hokage and learn a Jutsu from it, I could become a Genin that way." Naruto continued, keeping his eyes on what he was doing, "But he lied. He didn't want to help me, he hated me. He tricked me into stealing the scroll, and then he tried to kill me. So I ran, I just wanted to get out of there alive.

"That's when I met Zetsu-san. He killed Mizuki and saved me. He then told me that there were others like me, the Jinchuriki. I couldn't believe him, but I wanted to. So I went with him, and he took me to a place that welcomed me, and I met another person, who wanted my help. He acknowledged me, and saved me from the loneliness I'd been suffering from for so long."

He finished fixing Gaara up, it wasn't too bad, but he knew it could be better. He looked the injured boy in the eye, a gentle look on his face.

"Don't you want that as well?" he asked, "To no longer have to be alone? Come with me, you don't have to feel this way anymore."

Gaara stared up at Naruto, searching his eyes closely. He held the gaze for several seconds, before looking away.

"No." he said, taking Naruto by surprise, "I won't."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, as he began to grow nervous. Why didn't he want to come?

"You and I aren't the same." Gaara replied, fixing his eyes on the sky, "What you and I have gone through only shares the barest similarities. You don't have any idea what it has been like for me, yet you assume your petty words will convince me. It's a joke."

Naruto could feel his heart rate increasing, but he didn't have the urge to hit Gaara that he'd had before. He placed his hands on his knees, and breathed slowly.

"Tell me then." he said, locking eyes with Gaara once more, "Tell me what you went through. I want to know."

Gaara glanced at Naruto again, his brow raised a little. But he soon dropped the minute expression and averted his gaze once more.

"Very well, if you want to know." he said, without taking a moment to recollect, "My father is the Yondaime Kazekage. Before I was born, he began the sealing ritual to place the Shukaku inside of me. He used my mother as a sacrifice."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Gaara's father killed his mother to seal the Ichibi in his own son?!

"He intended to make me Suna's greatest weapon." Gaara continued, without the faintest sign of remorse from the words he'd just spoken, "He spoiled me, gave me everything I wanted. For a long time, I thought that was what love was. But then I realised it was only a means to keep me in control, so he could mould me into that weapon he so wanted.

"There was another who I thought cared about me. The brother of my dead mother, my uncle Yashamaru. He took care of me, and raised me in place of my father. But it was a lie. He hated me as much as everyone else in that village."

Naruto bowed his head, he knew what that felt.

"For that reason, at the time I was six years old, when my father ordered my assassination, Yashamaru eagerly accepted."

Naruto's lips parted as he let out a silent gasp of shock. He was sure he had misheard, was such an act of cruelty really possible?

"Why would he do that?" he asked, his eyes wide and his breaths silent. Gaara glanced at him, noticing his look.

"For all my life, the sand has always protected me." he replied, "Even against my will, it won't let me become injured. It is the Shukaku that controls it, not I. But it also responds to my own direction. As a result, to anyone watching the sand acted according to my will alone. The distinction between myself and the Shukaku disappeared, and they saw it and I as one in the same. For that reason, whenever the sand attacked the villagers, it was seen as my action. It was decided that it was no longer safe for me to exist, that is why my death was ordered.

"When Yashamaru confronted me, he told me of the day I was born. He said that my mother lost her mind in the last moments of her life, and wished the death of the village by my hand."

As if to emphasise his point, or maybe just a personal habit, he raised his hand, looking at it through the sunlight.

"She even named me to commemorate her hatred for the sand." he said, "Gaara… even my own mother hated me, she cursed both myself and the village."

He dropped his hand back to his side, no longer caring to keep those thoughts in his mind.

"It is because of her death that Yashamaru hated me, and the reason behind his final request." he continued, "He begged me, he said "please, just die."."

Naruto's grip on his trousers tightened, and he tucked his chin in as far as it would go. This was becoming hard to listen to, just that was hard. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to actually live through it.

"Ever since that night, my father sent countless assassins to kill me, but the result was always the same." Gaara went on, oblivious to Naruto's discomfort, "It wasn't long till I asked myself "why am I alive, if no one wishes it of me?". "For what reason then, do I exist?".

"As time passed, and more assassins aimed to take my life, I began to find solace, and even enjoyment in their deaths. It became a game to me, how many I could kill before they fled, or all died. It was then that I found the reason for my life."

He turned his head and looked straight at Naruto, with a faint glimmer in his eyes of the madness he had before.

"I would love and fight only for myself." he said, with the faintest of smiles, "To kill others for the purpose of maintaining my own existence. There is no greater pleasure than that. If all other people exist to provide that pleasure, then I can experience what you might call happiness."

Naruto stared as Gaara's smile turned into a grin, and the glimmer turned into a sheen.

"I exist to kill all others besides myself." he said, "To preserve my existence, everyone else must die."

If he was expecting a reaction, he was disappointed. Naruto had already reached his limit, he couldn't feel anymore stunned than he already did. Gaara's expression faded in annoyed disappointment, and he looked away.

Naruto shifted from his knees to a sitting position, his arm resting on his knee and the shadow of his hair obscuring his eyes.

"That's stupid." he muttered, earning Gaara's attention once more, "You exist to kill everyone but yourself? If you ask me, that's a joke."

Gaara didn't reply, but he didn't look away either. Not only had he failed to receive the effect he had sought, but his views were actually being challenged. That was enough to at least vaguely interest him, if nothing else.

"If people exist to remind you that you're alive, it's because they're their to look at you, to see you." Naruto explained, "If there's no one around to acknowledge that you're alive, then it's the same as being dead, isn't it?"

Gaara continued to stare at Naruto for a few seconds longer, before closing his eyes.

"Then that is the difference between you and I." he said, in a finalistic manner. Naruto blinked, looking down at Gaara.

"So… then I can't convince you?" he asked, as he began to feel worried again.

"You cannot." Gaara replied, in an unrelenting tone. Naruto let out a sigh, before perking up.

"Fine then, as the victor of this fight, I'm letting you live." he said, with a feebly cocky pitch to his voice, "So you owe me."

"Don't assume I follow by terms of honour." Gaara replied, in stoic defiance. Naruto gritted his teeth, was there no way to convince him?

He got to his feet, his desperation was giving him unwanted energy. He paced around as Gaara lay, thoughts flying through his mind as he tried to come up with some solution. In the end, there was only one thing. He leant his arm against a tree, and rested his forehead on it as he prepared to say something he'd hoped wouldn't come up.

"There's gonna be a war." he said, already regretting it, "It's gonna be the five nations against us."

He could feel Gaara's eyes on him, he hated that _this_ was what swayed him. But he couldn't help it, he could just hope it was enough.

"War?" Gaara repeated, with curiosity, "What are you saying?"

"The group I work with." Naruto explained, straightening up and turning around, "We're gonna start a war with the entire world… and if you come with me, I can make sure you're right in the middle of it."

Gaara's brow raised at the prospect, though he didn't say anything. It was obvious how much the idea intrigued him, he didn't need to emphasise it with words. But he didn't look completely certain.

"What kind of war are you speaking of?" he asked. Naruto dropped his gaze, he didn't like the look Gaara had.

"I'm not really sure how to describe it." Naruto replied, "It's probably the wrong word, but I think the closest thing would be… genocide."

Gaara's eyes widened. Naruto could see him fighting back that grin, he didn't want to appear too eager. He resolved it by closing his eyes again.

"Where is this place you wish to take me?" he asked, as calmly as he could, "You said you were from Konoha, but I don't recognise that headband as from that place."

"You're right." Naruto replied, feeling a little more confident, "It's Amegakure."

Gaara nodded slowly, looking to be in deep thought. Then after several moments of deliberation, he got to his feet. That took Naruto by surprise, he was already able to stand?

"Take me there." he said, "I wish to see for myself if your words are true-"

"There is no reason to wait."

Naruto whipped his head around, jumping back in surprise. From the trees behind him, Pein's Asura realm appeared, giving his strange smile.

"Pein-san!" Naruto exclaimed, relaxing, "Why are you here?"

"I am here to help you return to Ame." Pein replied, "If Gaara-san is gone too long, his "comrades" may come looking for him."

"Who is this person?" Gaara asked, looking at Naruto.

"Uh… this is-" Naruto began.

"You may call me Pein." Pein interrupted, "I am the leader of Akatsuki."

"I see." Gaara replied, folding his arms.

Pein stepped forward, so both Naruto and Gaara were close to him.

"It may be best that you close your eyes." he said, "This can be quite disorienting.

Before Naruto could ask, Pein raised the bandage on his right eye. Then, just seconds later, Naruto was hit with the sensation of being pulled off his feet, as if gravity has suddenly changed his mind. As instructed, he closed his eyes, and as the last sounds of the river faded away, he was left with the curiosity of why Pein had given his real name to Gaara.


	24. Like rain on the glass

Things are taking an interesting turn, I guess I _will _be going in this direction after all. It looks like my update rate has fallen back to three days, I wonder why? Guess it doesn't matter, what's a single day after all? I was curious about what I was going to do during the Chunin exam arc, guess this is it. At least I don't have to think of much plot wise, though keeping what's going to happen going will be a challenge. I'll do my best though, this is possibly the most experimental thing I will have done so far.

Disclaimer: Another Riddle: Watching from the skies, the world is looked down upon.

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**Like rain on the glass**

Pein's Deva realm stepped back, lowering his hands. He looked closely at Gaara, studying his work closely. He handed the device back to Konan, who accepted it silently. Naruto leant in, getting a look for himself.

Gaara had piercings, six rings just like Naruto. The difference was that instead of along the helix, his piercings were placed along his lobes.

"This will also work." Pein muttered, before looking at Konan, "Please escort Gaara-san to his room. I wish to speak with Naruto-san."

"Very well." Konan replied, as she walked to the door, with Gaara close behind. They left, Naruto and Pein were now alone, watching the door.

"I don't want to say this, but I don't know if it's safe to let him go around on his own." Naruto said, guiltily, "He's got some pretty bad issues."

"If by "issues" you mean his insatiable to desire to kill people, then I would agree." Pein replied, as he stepped through the awning, "However, measures have been taken to ensure that won't happen. I have an idea that you can already guess why."

Naruto hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

"It was you that made me use that Jutsu, wasn't it?" he asked, as he joined Pein.

"Yes, but don't jump to conclusions." Pein said, as he took a seat, "I only gave you the suggestion and the ability. It was you who chose to act on it in the end."

"Right." Naruto muttered, as he sat down as well, his legs hanging over the edge of the model tongue, "What was that anyway?"

"I apologise, but I'd rather you didn't ask how my Jutsu work." Pein replied, "It wouldn't matter that you know anyway. Only I can use it."

"Oh, ok." Naruto said, looking down at his lap, "But I don't get the deal with Gaara-san."

"In the same way that I helped you access the Kyubi's chakra, I can also stop the Ichibi from inflicting damage to Gaara-san's psyche by halting the flow of chakra." Pein explained, "If with that we provide him with the means to sleep again, then perhaps we can see some improvement and greater self control."

"But what if he still wants to…" Naruto said, not wanting to finish that sentence, "Is it safe for the people down there that he can go outside?"

"Can you think of anywhere safer than the village hidden in the rain?" Pein countered, with a bemused look, "If I sense any disruption, then a quick burst of rain should make him unable to use his sand. Or I could just take a more direct approach. In any case, it should be fine."

"Right…" Naruto muttered, as he dropped his gaze. He was then silent for several moments, before a thought struck him, "What now?"

"You'll have to be more specific." Pein replied bluntly, "Gaara-san, Akatsuki or the world in general?"

"I was just wondering what you were gonna have me do next." Naruto answered, resting his arm on his knee. Pein cocked a brow, looking at Naruto from the corner of his eye.

"You're sure you're ready for more?" he asked, "You're not one for relaxing, are you?"

"Are _you_?" Naruto countered, with a small grin. Pein was taken by surprise, that was a fairly casual statement, even for someone like Naruto to make.

"A fair point." he admitted, faintly smiling, "Although now that you mention it, I am caught in a bit of a dilemma."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, leaning back on his hands. Pein on the other hand leant forward, crossing his arms on his lap.

"I'm just wondering whether I should move certain… _events, _ahead of schedule." he replied, "In doing so, things become a little more risky, yet it gives us more time to prepare for the future."

Naruto blinked a couple of times, a dumbfounded look upon his face. He had absolutely no idea what Pein was talking about. That became apparent when the orange haired man glanced at him.

"As you know, we are currently working in secret." he explained, "I told you before, there is another person who leads Amegakure. Sanshouo no Hanzo is his name."

"Ok." Naruto replied, with a small nod.

"But he is a foolish man, his paranoia knows no bounds." Pein continued, looking up at the taller buildings, "He cares more for his own safety than anything else. Even children are searched at literally every possible place, before they can even enter the place he resides."

He took a pause there to give Naruto time to form the mental image. The blond boy didn't thank him for that.

"While I myself may have a slight grievance with him, for the benefit of our mission it is imperative that he dies." Pein went on, before looking slyly at Naruto, "Do you remember the promise I made you if you were to succeed in your mission?"

Naruto raised his brow as he recalled that which Pein spoke of. It had almost slipped his mind, but now it came back as clear as ever.

"So then you're going to…" he said, leaving his statement hanging. But Pein knew that he understood, and nodded with a smile.

"Yes, as promised I will show you my power." he said, before looking away again, "And there lies the dilemma."

"What?" Naruto asked, with a curious look.

"I could very easily handle this mission on my own." Pein replied, "However, it is a question of if I feel like doing it one way or another. Should I just swoop in and take care of it? If I do that, then I can secure the position I desire as the hand that guides Amegakure. The people will believe that I am god.

"However, if I choose to take this slowly, then it will allow Gaara-san and yourself to become more accustomed to Akatsuki's ways. It will be overall beneficial, rather than superficial."

He finished speaking, and cast a curious eye upon Naruto, as he waited to hear his take on the situation.

Naruto leant further back, looking up at the sky as he thought Pein's words over carefully.

"So… you're gonna go to war with this guy?" he asked, turning his head to look at Pein.

"A civil war is probably the most accurate term." Pein replied, with a nod, "In fact, looking at it from that perspective, my question is irrelevant. In any case, killing Hanzo is only the first step. The next will be eradicating his followers. In that case…"

He then locked eyes with Naruto, with a deadly serious expression on his face.

"I would like you and Gaara-san to become partners." he said.

Naruto stared at Pein, his eyes wide in surprise. He hadn't expected a statement like that, he'd honestly figured he'd be working on his own. But to make a request like that…

There really wasn't much of a problem to it, Gaara wasn't unlike Kisame in the mornings, though Kisame was still a little milder than this. It was more of a question of how it would work. Gaara didn't seem particularly cooperative, he did abandon his team after all.

"Ok…" Naruto replied, "Why?"

"As you know, Gaara-san is rather unstable." Pein explained, "He is likely to disobey orders and do as he pleases, even at the risk of the mission. As I said, I cannot completely control him, and the chakra receivers are perishable. Should he decide to break them, then we could have a problem on our hands. That is why I ask that you stay with him, in case such a thing should happen."

"Do you really think it's that much of a risk?" Naruto asked, "Wouldn't it be better if someone like Kisame-sensei-"

"Kisame-san already has his partner." Pein interrupted, "And I'd rather that the main branch of Akatsuki were kept aside from our mission. The majority of our members know nothing of this situation, things may become more difficult if they did."

"You don't trust them?" Naruto asked, though it was more a surprised thought than a question.

"I don't really have an interest in their pasts." Pein replied, "Their being S-class missing nin was only a guarantee of their abilities and that they no longer held loyalties to their village. But in that same reasoning, they have no reason to be loyal to Akatsuki other than out of their own interest. And the interests of certain members could be harmful to our plans. It is for that reason which I plan on keeping the Jinchuriki separate from Akatsuki, that and to keep you from being immediately affiliated with us. Although, your sightings with Zetsu-san and Kisame-san may have already caused problems…"

He trailed off then as he fell into deep thought, his brow furrowing in concentration. Naruto waited patiently as Pein considered things he himself couldn't possibly fathom, and just sat their until it was time for him to know whatever Pein decided.

"I think then, that your connection with Akatsuki will not be a secret anymore." he finally said, "In that case, what we need is a separate organisation, which would seem to be affiliated with Akatsuki, but possesses its own ideals and goals. That won't be difficult, since we are working closer to the truth, Akatsuki is more of a façade for what we are truly trying to accomplish."

"Yeah…" Naruto replied, looking down. He didn't really like thinking about their goal, it was too much to consider and much easier to ignore.

"And besides, I'm sure you and Gaara-san compensate for each others faults very well." Pein added, "Gaara's weakness is that his attacks are slow, they can be dodged easily. Your weakness is that you can only attack directly, even your Ninjutsu so far acts only to augment your Taijutsu. But you have speed, while Gaara-san has range. You can distract the enemy while Gaara sneaks his sand around, or he can defend you while you take on the enemy. It sounds like a good match to me."

Naruto paused for a few moments, considering Pein's points. He was right, Naruto was seriously lacking in defence. He made up for that with his speed and offence, but Gaara had already proven that would only get him so far. He needed better defence capabilities, or at least some mid range Jutsu. It was then that he was struck with an idea.

"Hey, do you think you could teach me a Jutsu?" he asked boldly. Pein's interests were piqued however, he looked at Naruto with a smirk.

"A Jutsu you say." he muttered, "Very well, I have something in mind. But first you will have to complete your nature training on your own."

Naruto face palmed himself. He'd forgotten that he hadn't completely mastered that yet. It was easy to see that Pein had helped him in more ways than one during his fight with Gaara, he knew he didn't have that much ability with Futon chakra. His request however seemed to have an effect on Pein, he still held his smirk.

"In that case, I will allow about a week for you to finish your training." he said, "If you can finish it sooner, I will teach you a Futon Jutsu."

"Sure thing." Naruto replied, as he got to his feet, "Guess I should get started then."

"Have fun." Pein said, returning his gaze to the buildings as Naruto walked away.

* * * * *

Naruto walked into through the well lit hallway that night, severely exhausted and looking the part. He placed his hand on the handle to his room, ready to just drop onto his bed.

"Naruto-san."

Naruto looked to his left in surprise. Gaara stood in the middle of the hall, leaving Naruto to wonder just how fast he could move.

It looked like he had settled in fairly quickly, he had already slashed his forehead protector, but more notable was the cloak he now wore. It was similar to Naruto's, except that it was a golden yellow, just like sand. It also fit tighter than Naruto's from the waist down, and the tall collar was replaced with no collar at all. He seemed to have his gourd back somehow, to Naruto's discomfort, and had it strapped outside his cloak. Overall, he had a more professional look about him than Naruto, expressed by his still stoic look and his folded arms.

"Hey, something up?" Naruto asked, straightening up.

"I have spoken with Pein-san." Gaara replied, "He is a peculiar person."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Naruto said, with a grin, "You get used to it."

"He informed me that you and I are to be partners." Gaara went on, ignoring Naruto's statement, "Because you were successful in our battle, I will let you know this. Don't get in my way."

Naruto's brow raised as the tension in the air rose. Gaara had that look in his eyes again, the danger and killer intent. It was strong, but Naruto was already familiar with it.

"Gaara-san… do you really have to go that far?" he asked, his tiredness edging through, "If we're in a serious fight, then do what you want. Just don't hurt people for the sake of making yourself feel better."

"I do as I please." was Gaara's defiant reply, "I won't hold back for your sake."

"These people, they're not like the people in Sunagakure." Naruto said, letting his hand drop from the handle, "All they want to do is live peacefully. They don't care about making people into weapons, or hurting the people they should be protecting. They're like us, they don't want to fade away."

Gaara turned away, but held his ground.

"If there was another person in this world like me," he said, resolutely, "someone who had been through the same as I have, and felt the same pain. If I ever met someone like that… I would kill them."

The candles flickered as a cold breeze blew through the window at the end of the hall. Gaara's shadow cast in several directions, six small blades of darkness shimmering under the orange eyes all around. Naruto could almost see his own breath as it froze under the atmosphere, yet for some reason, he was warm.

"Loneliness is this worlds greatest pain." Gaara said, without looking back, "It is all that I know, therefore I have no reason to fear it."

He then walked away, heading into his room at the farthest door to the right. He left Naruto standing there, with his constricted chest and bound mind.

"_Gaara…"_ Naruto thought, wondering if he would ever change his views. He turned back to his door and reached out for the handle again. But before he could turn it, he heard a door to his right open.

"Naruto-san?"

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, looking back at Konan with tired eyes. The blue haired woman looked at him in faint surprise, but not too much so.

"Have you spoken with Gaara-san?" she asked, resting her hand on the doorway.

"Yeah, you just missed him." Naruto replied, jerking his head to Gaara's room.

"Actually, it was you I was hoping to speak to." Konan said, taking Naruto by surprise.

"Oh, alright." he said, "You wanna come in?"

"No thanks, this will only take a moment." Konan answered, stepping into the hall, "I just need to check something."

"What?" Naruto asked, as Konan moved closer.

She didn't answer, but when she reached Naruto, she reached out with her hand and placed it on his cheek. He seriously had to use every ounce of his strength to keep his face from flushing under her touch.

She gently moved his head from side to side, looking at his face closely. She seemed to be searching for something, but was having a hard time finding it. After several seconds, she let out the smallest sigh of relief, and lowered her hand.

"It's ok." she said, straightening up, "There's nothing."

"What where you looking for?" Naruto asked, looking up with a raised brow.

"It's ok, it doesn't matter." Konan replied, with a quick bow, "Goodnight."

She turned away and returned to the stairwell, closing the door behind her. Naruto watched as she left, before turning back to his door. He paused for a moment, in case of another interruption. But there was no more, and he reached out for his door and actually managed to enter this time. Once inside, and he'd closed the door, he placed his hand on his cheek.

"You're not blushing are you?"

Naruto shook his head fervently both clearing his mind and denying Eko's claim. He pressed his palm against his forehead, sighing loudly. He then removed his cloak and dropped it on his bed as he made his way through to the kitchen. He turned the kettle on and grabbed a tub of instant ramen.

"So we're really gonna have to work with that guy?"

"Guess so." Naruto replied, as he removed the lid, "I hope the others aren't like him."

"Geez, I hope they aren't like _you_."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto demanded, looking over his shoulder with an affronted expression.

"Come on, you have to one of the densest and most naïve people in the world!"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, unstrapping Eko and placing him in the counter.

"After all the stuff you heard about Gaara, you think he's just gonna change because you ask him to? It's gonna take a long time before anything you say will get through to him. It's not gonna be that easy."

Naruto sat down on the stool next to him, looking down at the floor. Eko was right again, he made a lot of assumptions about Gaara without really thinking it through. Was it that he'd thought there was no way someone could have had it worse than him? Or was it just that he couldn't imagine something as terrible as that, or the effect it would have on a person? In any case, he had been rather insensitive. He needed to fix things, but like Eko said, it wasn't going to be easy.

"It looks like I've been kinda self centred, huh?" he asked, in a low voice.

"Everyone's self centred, you've just got the stones to admit it."

"That's pretty pessimistic." Naruto said, with a small smile.

"Who said I was an optimist?"

Naruto's smile widened, and he let out a faint chuckle as the kettle finished boiling. He got to his feet and poured the water into his cup of ramen, before stirring it with the free chopsticks. He sat back down as he waited for the noodles to soften, looking out of the flickering window absent mindedly.

He looked through the obscured glass, fixing his eyes on the indistinct colours of the tiny droplets scattered across the surface. He watched as the raindrops hit the glass, and then slowly slid down. He thought it strange, the tiny droplets touched, and then became bigger, which then moved a little faster. Smaller droplets would then meet with the larger, and a pattern was born.

"_Small specks join together, to create something bigger."_ Naruto thought, _"They come together, and form something greater than what they were on their own. It's kinda like with people, isn't it? We become stronger when we work together, and safer."_

"Like rain on the glass." he muttered, with his chin on his palm, "Is that what I am?"

He watched as the raindrop travelled down, gathering more followers on its way. It became larger, and faster, until nothing could stand in its way.

Then it hit the window sill, and ceased to exist. It actually made Naruto's stomach clench, and his eyes mist over.

"_Is that what happens when we band together_?" he thought, as he blinked away the rain inside him, _"Are we just moving quicker to our own end?"_

He looked back up the window. He spotted a small, individual droplet near the top of the glass. It was barely moving, and didn't touch the others. But it was still there.

"_Is it better to be like that then?"_ he thought, _"If it means that we can stay as we are, is it better to keep to ourselves… to be alone?"_

"Hey."

Naruto looked over his shoulder at Eko, who he could feel watching him quietly.

"Don't over think things, it's not your style."

Naruto smiled at Eko's comment, turning back to his ramen. It seemed ready, so he took his chopsticks in hand and stirred it lazily.

"You think I'm doing the right thing?" he asked, as he picked up some noodle and watched the soup drip back off into the cup.

"You're coming to _me_ for moral advice?"

Naruto chuckled, seeing Eko's point.

"Well, if you don't ever think about stuff, how are you ever gonna change?" he asked.

"There something wrong with who I am now?"

"No, I just mean that staying the same means nothing ever changes." Naruto replied, before his own words dawned on him, "Nothing ever changes…"

"Looks like you figured it out for yourself."

Naruto nodded, as he picked the noodles up and slurped them into his mouth. It was obvious really. The way people were, they were ignorant. And it wasn't just to him, he remembered what Pein had told him about the higher ups of Amegakure. It seemed like everyone had forgotten that other people exist, they lived for their own reasons.

"Is it ok, that I'm allowed to be this selfish?" he asked, after swallowing.

"That's up to you. If everything works out, then you'll have changed the world for the better. But if it doesn't, you'll have that on your conscience."

Naruto stared down into his soup, vaguely seeing his own reflection. He wondered what it would be like, to do this all the time, but filled with a strong feeling of regret. He wasn't sure if he could handle that.

"But if you don't do anything, then you're not worth anything."

Ok, that was pretty harsh. But he had a point. Naruto knew very well he would hate to just eke out an existence, he had to do something. This was the path he had chosen, and he'd already taken measures to ensure he couldn't turn back. He had attacked Konoha Shinobi, and "kidnapped" one from Suna. He knew the Kazekage wanted Gaara dead, but he doubted he would be satisfied with letting Gaara go free. Konoha would find out about Gaara being missing, and in turn Suna would find out who Naruto was. That meant there would be two of the Hidden Villages looking for him.

Not only that, but after his sightings with Kisame and Zetsu, and now with Gaara being seen with _him_, things would only get more difficult. If anyone was aware of Akatsuki's existence, it wouldn't be hard now to figure out their primary goal. Naruto didn't have a clue what they would do then, could they really face off against the hidden villages if they began hiding the Jinchuriki that lived in their homes?

"_Guess we'll just have to find out."_ he thought, as he dug into the rest of his dinner.


	25. Pushed by the wind

Damn it, guess this means I won't be able to get the next chapter out on the 25th. I know I could just wait a while, but then I'd break my 3 day max streak. Still waiting for the next manga chapter to come out... Been trying to figure out character designs, it's not easy to come up with somethign original that can't be placed under one of the many "sue" categories. Ah well, this idea literally came to me mid chapter, so it's more than a bit sudden. Plus, I learned what Deus EX Machina means, hopefully that won't apply to this.

Disclaimer: Riddle: I am Hidan in the morning, Kakuzu in the evening, Anko at night. But the next morning, I am no one.

* * *

**Pushed by the wind**

"The Jutsu I am about to show you is a basic Futon technique." Pein explained.

He and Naruto were stood at a balcony overlooking the water around Ame. It was at a place on the west end of the village, which held many tall and thick buildings, though there were few people around to occupy them. This building was the colour of sand, and the flat walls rose high above the two of them, reaching straight to the roof.

Perhaps balcony wasn't the right word. The place they were seemed like and oversized alcove, because there was no railing or overhang that was usually affiliated with the former description.

Naruto stood next to Pein holding kunai with explosive tags in each hand, as per the request of the orange haired Shinobi. He looked out into the openness, the sun was breaking through the distant clouds and brightening the plains off to the horizon. Small rainbows were cast here and there, as was the effect of having so much water with only beams of sunlight appearing through.

"It is a C-rank, and one of the first Jutsu I learned, apart from the standard of course." Pein continued, looking in the same direction as Naruto, "It's main purpose is as a support technique, though with the correct refinement it can also be used for either offensive or defensive purposes. A rather versatile technique then, don't you think?"

"Well, it _sounds_ pretty useful." Naruto replied, without having the relaxed expression Pein wore.

"I see what you are saying." Pein replied, with a smirk, "In some cases, I suppose seeing _is_ believing. Very well then, throw your kunai. Then count to three and detonate it."

Naruto blinked, before nodding. He pulled his arm around, and flung it forward as hard as he could, releasing the kunai at the right moment. He then counted, and once he reached three he formed his hand sign, igniting the tag. It exploded a moment later, sending its fiery light across the dull water below.

"Good, now when I clasp my hands, I want you to do that exact same thing, down to the pause before counting." Pein said, as he raised his hands.

"Uh…" Naruto muttered, but prepared himself anyway. He had his hand held back as he awaited Pein's signal. The moment it came, he did as ordered and threw the second kunai.

"Futon: Reppusho!" Pein called, thrusting his open palms forward. A sudden blast of wind burst from his hands, striking the kunai hard. Naruto nearly lost his place in shock, but remembered to detonate at the right time. He watched as the kunai was hurled forward at an even greater speed than Naruto had attained. When it set off, the explosion occurred at least twice the distance it had when Naruto had thrown it.

"Whoa…" Naruto breathed. Not only was the explosion at a greater distance, but it was much larger in size than the last one, at least double again.

"You're eloquence is astounding." Pein replied, as he watched the result of their joint effort, "That is only a C-rank. There are better things to be impressed by than that."

"You in a mood or something?" Naruto asked, looking at Pein with tired exasperation. Pein smiled, running his hand through his hair.

"No, it's just that there's something to be said about someone who appreciates the simple things." Pein replied, glancing to Naruto from the corner of his eye, "After all, all art reflects on the artist."

He then turned and walked through to the shadows, leaving Naruto to look confused.

"Hey wait a minute, aren't we training?" he asked, looking at Pein's back with slight annoyance. Pein glanced back with a raised brow.

"Of course, I apologise." he said, returning, "I forgot that you require more guidance than most."

"You know, there something to be said about someone who assumes as well." Naruto replied dryly. Pein let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.

"You have a point." he admitted, "Very well then, let us continue."

Once more he stood beside Naruto, and demonstrated again the sign for the Jutsu, namely clasping his hands. Naruto did the same, and Pein told him the steps needed to perform the Jutsu. It really wasn't very complicated, simply channelling Futon chakra to the clasped hands, containing it, then releasing it in a single blast. Yet when Naruto tried it, it was nowhere near the calibre Pein had achieved.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, trying again. But just like before, the wind he generated was little more than a breeze, and the distance was pathetic. In fact, it would have probably been more effective if he simply blew hard.

"Just remember, you must shut off all your chakra gates, then reactivate them in a sharp push." Pein said, severely confusing Naruto.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "You never said anything about that!"

Pein blinked, showing a more docile confusion. He then realised what Naruto was talking about, and shook his head.

"I apologise, it was an error." he explained, "That wasn't directed at you."

It was Naruto's turn to blink. Wasn't directed to him? There was no one else around, so who then?

"Anyway, let us continue." Pein said, "You may have finished your nature training quickly, but you need to use the next four days refining this Jutsu, so it can serve the purposes I spoke of."

He then seemed to get an idea, as he touched Naruto on the shoulder before taking a few steps closer to the edge. He dropped off, straight down to the water below. Naruto watched with a raised brow, before following.

He landed on the water, sending out a ripple across the calm surface, behind him, moss and mildew grew on the wall, a gross infection on the sickly looking building. Naruto ignored the eyesore, and looked up at Pein, who had a thoughtful look about him.

"By using your Kage Bunshin, you can gain experience much faster than normal." he said, before glancing down, "And with the water beneath us, you can better measure your progress by the effect the Jutsu has on it. Yes, I think this will be a more beneficial method."

Naruto stared with a raised brow, before realising that he'd just been given instructions. He formed the cross seal, ad looked straight ahead.

"Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. On either side of him, ten clones appeared, making for a grand total of twenty one Naruto's.

"Good, now try it." Pein said, folding his arms.

* * * * *

"Good, now try it." Pein said, folding his arms.

Gaara raised his hands into a seal, and did as he was told. He stopped the flow of chakra through his body, a fairly simple task since his chakra control wasn't especially strong. He then sent chakra pulsing back out his tenketsu in a sharp burst. He then opened his eyes, and the illusion was gone.

The rooftop they stood on had returned to view, the village down below surrounding him. The unsteady surface of the dozens of rusting pipes forced him to redefine his balance before he could fall, he wouldn't allow himself to appear so foolish. The area was dark, due to the thick clouds above. It cast shadows upon the Naraka realm, who stood in front of him.

"Good." Pein said, "Because of your abilities, chakra control isn't completely necessary, but you would do to learn it anyway, since you have a weakness to water."

Gaara ignored the comment, folding his arms as he stared blankly back at Pein. He didn't have any interest in Pein's words, or his advice.

"It's a pity you don't know the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, it would be best for you to learn nature manipulation alongside using your sand." Pein continued, "But as it is, it would seem that you will have use of Naruto-san's abilities."

"If you are attempting to convince me to cooperate with him, then you're wasting your time." Gaara replied, "As long as he doesn't get in my way, I won't kill him."

"That will have to do then." Pein said, lowering his hands to his sides, "At least you know now how to cancel Genjutsu. That will do for now."

Gaara turned and left without a word, taking the door to his left. Pein waited until he disappeared, before glancing over his shoulder.

"How are the preparations coming?" he asked.

"We're not ready for this." replied Konan, who was seated on a ledge just below view, "We still need at least a month to properly prepare."

"You know how we work." Pein said, "Always assume your opponents know everything. In the case that Hanzo is fully aware of what we are doing, he will be preparing his own defences. He is not the kind to just rush into situations. He won't move unless he is certain of his own success. As you recall, it was his mistake last time that cost him the battle."

"Are you sure those two situations can really be compared?" Konan asked, with a bowed head, "There was no way he could have predicted you to be capable of what you did."

"Which is why we also work under the assumption that our enemies are stronger than they appear." Pein replied, "There is no need for me to tell you this, we will not fail."

Konan sat silently, not responding to Pein's words. He turned around and walked towards her, her blue hair coming into sight. He sat down, his arms resting on his knees as he looked down at her. She barely acknowledged that he was closer now, though it was clear that she knew.

"I know what you are thinking." Pein said, "But revenge is not my motive. Hanzo is a paranoid man, and that paranoia has cost us much. But even without interference, the outcome for him is inevitable. He will not be forgiven for what he has done, he will be judged at the moment of his death. The fact that it is he we must eradicate is only a twist of fate."

Konan still didn't react, she seldom did when speaking with Pein's other paths.

"That he should meet his end by me, it only strengthens the truth." Pein said, "I shall judge him and he shall be judged by god. It is that simple."

"… Understood." Konan said quietly. Pein continued to watch her, wondering what exactly she was thinking.

* * * * *

Naruto continued his training, even though Pein had left long ago. He had made great progress with the Jutsu, though it still wasn't as powerful as what Pein had shown him. Last time he checked he found he could manage either a short and decently strong blast, or a breeze that had pretty good range. He had just dissipated his third group of clones, and was fairly confident in his progress. He clasped his hands once more, and channelled his chakra.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, thrusting his palms forward.

The ensuing gust whirled out and spun through the air, visibly scattering the water beneath it into strong ripples that spread out in a radial pattern. It was the stronger blast, and Naruto did his best to push it further than before. It was a pity that Pein's idea of using the water to measure progress worked only to an extent, being that the ripples were hard to follow, or even see through the whirlwind for that matter. All the same, it felt like he was doing better this time, Naruto was sure he had managed to attain at least a few inches more than before.

"Not bad, you think you could use this Jutsu with me?"

Naruto sighed, looking back at Eko. For a katana, he was fairly self involved.

"You think you could let me get used to the Jutsu first?" Naruto asked, with half closed eyes. Eko didn't reply right away, but Naruto could feel the heat of embarrassment as the blade realised he was being looked down upon.

"Fine, whatever."

"Using it on my own is hard enough as it is." Naruto explained, trying to stop a mood before it could grow into something big, "It'll be a while before I can think about trying it in different ways."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Naruto nodded in appreciation, before turning back to the water. He raised his hands as he prepared to perform the Jutsu again, but hesitated. After a few moments consideration, he sighed and allowed his hands to drop back to his sides. He'd had his fill of training today, he was feeling pretty tired.

"I'm gonna call it a day." he muttered, turning around. He headed to the wall and placed his feet upon it, beginning his ascent back to ground level. He stepped back into the alcove and continued through without stopping, coming back out into an empty side street.

The sun had now set, and light was fading fast. Lampposts came to life as they lazily groaned into consciousness. The dim orange eyes looked down to the puddles that yelped as Naruto stepped on them, curiously scanning the surface as he left.

He walked out into a wider street, where there were a few people walking around. Naruto had come to notice something about the people of Ame. They usually had their heads bowed and walked with short steps. It was probably a result of the rain that so often fell, they were used to confiding themselves to their own bodies as they hurried on their way. It was a strange thing to notice, it wasn't something Naruto was particularly proud of. How bored was he that he was picking up small details about the general public when it wasn't even necessary?

"_Man, I gotta find something…"_ he thought, though since he had just given up on the only pass time he had, he wasn't really sure if he had the right to think that.

But it was true, he really couldn't see what he could do to occupy himself. It looked like the majority of the people here either spent their time working, or looking for work. And the few that were exceptions to the rule were most likely drunk out of even the most basic awareness, regressing to infants with slurs and flails.

"What a dump."

"Yeah, but it's all they got." Naruto replied, looking down, "It's all there is."

* * * * *

Pein lay in the shadows, his eyes closed as he unnecessarily rested. He held his hands behind his head, his cloak floating upwards as he did nothing but listen to the peaceful sounds. He could hear the light rain falling, it echoed throughout the room in a rather melodic fashion. It was rather relaxing, knowing that no matter what happened, the rain wouldn't be disturbed.

He heard the door open, and the sound of steps joined the rain as a light person walked in. He opened his eyes and watched as Konan entered the room, spotting the paper rose before anything else. She looked around with a surprised expression, before raising her head. She spotted Pein, recognizing the face as the one she knew most personally.

"Why are you…?" she asked, leaving her question trailing. Pein simply shrugged, he didn't have a reason for his position.

"To lay down without succumbing to gravity is a peculiar sensation." he replied, "You should try it."

"Um, I think I'll pass." Konan said, closing the door behind her, "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes, I need your help with an important matter." Pein confirmed, straight faced.

Konan was surprised by his openness. While it was true that Pein wasn't so arrogant as to act that he could manage on his own, he was rarely so direct about his needs either.

"What is it?" she asked, taking a step back so she could relax her neck a little. Pein raised his head, looking down at the floor beneath him.

"I have a concern about Naruto-san." he explained, with a calm yet contemplative look on his face, "I fear that he may be… _disappointed_."

"Disappointed?" Konan repeated, as she thought about why, "Is this to do with Gaara-san?"

"I think he believed that just like the other Jinchuriki have the same situation as him, that they would also _be_ like him." Pein said, "Gaara-san's beliefs have shaken him, he no longer has the motivation he once did."

"Well it's hardly a surprise." Konan replied, leaning against the wall, "This is why I thought it was a bad idea. He's too young to look to look at the big picture."

"Yes, I see that now." Pein muttered, "However, I still believe that the younger they are collected, the better. Look at Naruto-san, when compared to how Gaara-san reacted. Gaara-san had far too much experience as a Shinobi, and so bringing him in was made that much more difficult. But that's beside the point. Naruto-san is losing faith."

"And you want to find a way to motivate him?" Konan asked, with a slight frown.

"I'll admit, out of the two of us, you have a better understanding of this kind of situation."

Konan raised her hand to her chin, deciding against trying to figure out if that was a compliment.

"How do you motivate someone like him?" she wondered aloud, "He can train as much as he wants, and his free time is unrestricted… I think know what it is."

"And that is?"

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Konan asked, wondering if Pein was perhaps mocking her, "The reason he came to us was because he was alone. He had no one to relate to, to be close with. That hasn't changed in the slightest since he came here."

Pein nodded as he saw her point.

"Yes, though he has spent a good deal of time with Kisame-san, those two can hardly relate." he muttered, as his brow creased.

"He needs a friend, or at least someone he can be close with." Konan said, looking up at Pein, "But that's not something we can really offer him. he would need to find that on his own."

"Someone he meets on his own terms, or simply out of chance." Pein agreed, before sighing, "Though I don't like the prospect of him becoming involved with outsiders."

"It can't be helped." Konan replied, folding her arms, "Having complete control over his life won't exactly make him compliant."

"True enough." Pein said, before dropping from the ceiling and landing neatly on the floor, "So what _can_ be done?"

"Naruto-san needs to meet someone on his own." Konan replied, "But the problem is, because of his situation he may not know exactly how to do that. In which case, it would be best if someone were to come to him. However, we can hardly ask someone to be his friend, that would defeat the purpose. It needs to be a mutual bond."

"Yes, you're right." Pein said, with a nod, "Very well then, I'll leave it to you."

"Wha- you want me to take care of it now?!" Konan exclaimed, straightening up, "Can we really afford a distraction like that now of all times?"

"Yes." Pein replied, turning away, "Be sure and give him something to fight for."

* * * * *

Naruto pulled his arm back, before throwing the stone in his hand. It flew through the air, reaching quite the distance, before it slowed down. It then did a complete reversal, returning to Naruto's waiting hand. He tossed it again, and the same thing happened.

He walked up the wall of the tower, idly throwing the pebble and catching it. He gripped it in his hand, this little game was made trickier by the rain, which was currently soaking him. But he didn't really mind, or rather, he didn't care. So he was a little wet, what did it matter?

"Man, I'm bored." Naruto muttered, as he threw the stone again.

"And you're annoying as well. Quit complaining, at least you got options."

Naruto chuckled, Eko had a point. Maybe it was a little unfair for him to say such things.

He reached the window to the hall that his room was on, but came to a stop. He couldn't see anything, but even he could feel the presence just behind the wall. It was strange how even in a relatively calm mood, Gaara still managed to cause that feeling.

Naruto put his foot on the sill and slipped in, sitting on the sill and glancing to the right. Against the wall by his door, Gaara stood, his arms folded and eyes on the blond in front of him.

"Something up?" Naruto asked, leaning forward. Gaara paused for a moment, before replying.

"No." he said, simplistically.

Naruto stared back at him for several moments, wondering why he had then decided to take position there.

"O…k." he muttered, before standing and leaving Gaara to his… whatever he was doing. He walked down the hall to his door, glancing out the corner of his eye. Gaara kept his own fixed on Naruto, though offered no reaction to his look. Sighing, Naruto opened his door and stepped in.

"Wha?!" he exclaimed, as his eyes widened in shock.

In front of him, just by his window, Naruto could see what looked like the bare back of a young girl.


	26. Self interest

Wow, here was me pressing for time and yet somehow I managed to batter out a longer chapter than what I've been giving out recently. I noticed that Naruto was seeming a little downhearted, which is the reason behind this chapter, it was completely out of the blue. Got a couple of ideas as to where this is going, so don't go pegging this as a Naruto/OC pairing just yet.

Disclaimer: No riddles, no one's guessing... now I'm back to blind stabs at humour and exclamations about canon... ITACHI!!!!!!!!!!! HIYA!!!!!!!

* * *

**Self interest**

"Wha?!" Naruto exclaimed at the sight before him.

In his room, just by his window, there stood a girl with her bare back to him. It looked like she was in the process of putting her clothes back on, her shirt coming down over her head. Lavender hair fell down her back, at least offering moderate coverage. She had a very fair and slender form, which Naruto embarrassedly noticed closely. He got as far as her lilac panties before she reacted to his cry, turning around in shock.

"AHHH!!!" she screamed, grabbing the closest thing she could, which were Naruto's goggles. They struck his head and sent him reeling back, falling to the ground in an unceremonious heap. He then heard his door slam shut, before silence rang out.

"Uhh…" he sighed, pushing himself to a sitting position. He glanced to his left, noticing Gaara had disappeared completely.

"What just happened?"

"I got no idea." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head. He grabbed his goggles before getting back to his feet, hesitating outside his room.

Gingerly, he reached out and knocked lightly on his door, waiting nervously for a reply. He could hear movement inside, though it was a while before he got an answer. About a minute later, the door opened, with the girl looking at him from behind the door angrily.

"Why are you still here?" she demanded, glaring with her deep blue eyes. Naruto faltered for a moment as confusion set in, before replying.

"Well uh, you are in my room." he explained clumsily. The girl's eyes widened in shock, she looked behind her to the room she was in, before looking back at Naruto.

"This is your place?" she asked, with a bewildered look.

"Yeah, it is." Naruto replied, with a dumbfounded expression.

"Oh! Sorry!" the girl hastily said, opening the door. Naruto almost averted his gaze, stupidly worrying she might still be naked. But she was dressed, wearing a simple white t-shirt with long purple sleeves and a tight denim skirt. She stepped out of the way, an apologetic look on her face, "You can come in- I mean, well…"

Naruto nodded in thanks, stepping inside. She closed the door behind her, pressing her back to it as she looked at Naruto with shy anxiety. Now that he could get a better look, he realised her hair was a little wet, had she been using his shower?

"_Gah, don't think about that!"_ he thought, resisting shaking his head. He then realised the girl's eyes were locked on his, and there was a red tint to her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone lived here." she said, bowing her head nervously. Naruto quickly looked away, this girl was pretty cute.

"Uh, I guess… I can understand that." he replied. This place was hardly residential, she probably thought this was a place for workers to rest or something, "So uh… who are you?"

"Oh, of course!" the girl exclaimed, holding her hands before her and bowing, "My name's Rika, Sakai Rika."

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, glad to get introductions out of the way. Of course, it was then replaced with awkward silence, something Naruto really hated, "Uh… so what are you doing here?"

"Oh, it's my dad." Rika replied, brushing some hair out of her face, "He was supposed to accompany me home, you know what it's like down there. Problem is, he had to take another shift at the last minute, so I'm stuck here until he finishes."

To be honest, Naruto didn't really know what it was like. Then again, he recalled that man he'd had to fight as a "test" for Kisame. Were people like that common here?

"I was sort of wandering around when I found this room." Rika continued, "I needed a shower, so I wasn't really thinking."

"Don't worry about it." Naruto replied, deciding now would be a good time to grin, "So you're stuck here for a while huh?"

"Yeah…" Rika said, dropping her gaze, "Well, I guess I'll be going now. Sorry again."

She turned around and opened the door, making to leave. But on a strange impulse, Naruto stepped forward, calling out to her.

"Hey, uh…" he said, as he tried to think of something to say. He then got an idea, and embarrassedly started rubbing the back of his head, "You don't have to leave. It'll probably be boring on your own, you can hang around here… I mean, if you want."

Rika paused, looking at Naruto in surprise. Naruto glanced at her, but averted his gaze again, feeling his cheeks reddening.

"Are you sure?" she asked, half through the doorway, "I don't want to intrude any more than I already have."

"It's no problem." Naruto replied, with a edgy grin. Rika hesitated for a moment, before smiling back at him, causing Naruto to look away again. She came back into the room and closed the door, resuming her position against it. Naruto blinked as he realised she was waiting for something, "Uh, you want a drink or something?"

Rika nodded, still wearing her smile.

"Yes please." she replied in a sweet tone that was a little too much for Naruto to handle. He turned away quickly, hiding his reddening face.

"Well, come on then." he mumbled, as he made his way to the kitchen. She followed him closely, shutting the door behind her.

Naruto grabbed the kettle and filled it with enough water for two cups. He then replaced it and turned it on, before turning around.

"Gah!" he yelped, realising Rika was literally right in front of him. but at his cry she steppe back, a worried look on her face.

"Sorry, was I too close?" she asked, raising her finger to her lips.

"Oh, no." Naruto replied, holding his hands up, "It's my bad."

Rika continued to look uncertainly at him, but after a moment she relaxed.

"Sit down, this'll be ready in a minute." Naruto said, turning back around and taking a couple of mugs from the cupboard.

Rika did just that, taking a seat on the stool nearest the door. Naruto could feel her eyes on his back as he worked, it made him feel a little anxious.

"Closest you'll ever get."

Naruto resisted telling Eko to shut up, he didn't want to alarm Rika unnecessarily. The kettle finished boiling and he picked it up, pouring the water into the mugs. Half a minute later, he had two steaming cups of tea in his hands. He handed one to Rika, who gratefully accepted. He then took a seat down next to her, looking out the window to the rainless village. But just outside his peripheral vision, he could see that Rika was still watching him. He glanced round to her, and realised that her eyes weren't fixed on him, but Ekokaeten.

"Something up?" he asked, startling Rika.

"Oh, nothing!" she hastily replied, before nodding at Eko, "Is that a sword?"

"Well, more like a big knife." Naruto replied with a shrug, "I usually just use it for food and stuff."

Rika gave him a strange look as Eko burned with contempt. Naruto looked over his shoulder with a self satisfied smirk. At least there was one way he could get his own back. But Rika caught his smirk and misinterpreted it. Next thing he knew, she'd punched him in the arm.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, she gave quite a punch.

"Don't make fun of me!" Rika ordered, with a huffy expression.

"What?" Naruto asked, before realising what happened. He started laughing, even while rubbing his arm. Rika looked at him confused, but after a moment she was laughing too.

"What's so funny?" she asked, placing a hand on the counter for balance. Naruto shrugged, he was already gripping the surface tight.

"Nothing!" he replied, as the laughter died down. He looked into his mug with a warm smile on his face. Rika quietened down too, shaking her head in exasperation.

"So how come you've got a sword?" she asked, sitting back in a relaxed position. Naruto looked up at her with a raised brow, she seemed pretty interested.

"Yeah, it's a katana." he explained, "I've had it for about a month and a half now, so I'm still pretty inexperienced."

"Can I see it?" Rika asked, with a curious smile. Naruto blinked, before nodding.

"Sure." he replied, undoing the straps on his chest. He then took the sheath off and laid it out on the counter in front of the two of them.

Rika leant forward, looking up and down the crimson sheath in wonder. There was a mystified look in her eyes, as if she wasn't quite able to comprehend what was lying before her. It wasn't definite, but she almost had a look of wanting in her eyes, a strange desire that forced her eyes to widen and her sapphires to shine. But it was odd, for there seemed to also be an unsettled attribute, she was apparently unable to settle on a particular spot to look at. Naruto watched her closely, it was quite an awestruck expression she wore.

"Its name is Ekokaeten." he said, with a small smile as he watched her face.

"Ekokaeten?" she repeated, looking up at Naruto, "That's a weird name."

"Yeah, I just call it "Eko"." Naruto agreed, with a laugh at the end. He could sense Eko's displeasure, maybe it was time to end the joke, "Yeah, but he's gotten me outta more trouble than you could imagine."

"Oh, you're a ninja, aren't you?" Rika asked as she suddenly spotted Naruto's headband, "Looks like it needs fixing up though."

Naruto blinked, before removing his headband. She had probably meant the long score through the Ame emblem, though upon closer inspection he realised it _was_ pretty dirty. He did a small brow shrug before placing the headband down on the counter and taking a sip from his cup. When he put it back down, he spotted Rika's uncertain look.

"You ok?" he asked, leaning on the countertop.

"Well, I'm still sort of feeling guilty about before." Rika admitted, hesitantly, "So, I was thinking… my uncle owns a weapon shop down in the streets, and I work part time there at the weekends."

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, with a look of interest. He hadn't seen her during their… _interesting_ visit, though he wasn't really sure about what day it was anymore. He was only given the number of days he had to train and stuff, he no longer knew of concepts such as "weekends".

"Yeah, so I was just wondering…" Rika continued, looking down at the blade, "To make it up to you… I could fix them up if you like."

Naruto gave her a surprised look, he hadn't been expecting an offer like that. It had certainly caught him off guard, he wasn't really sure how to react.

"Uh… ok…" he replied, with a dazed look, "You sure about that?"

"Yeah." Rika said, with a swift nod. She then grabbed Eko's sheath and Naruto's headband before getting to her feet, "Just give me a minute, you'll be stunned, I promise!"

She then hurried out of the kitchen and into Naruto's room, leaving the blond boy wondering what had just happened. How did this go from a strange girl changing in his room to a sudden offer for blade and headband maintenance?

He shook his head, sighing to himself. Maybe it was best he didn't look the gift horse in the mouth, he needed to learn to just roll with some things. He just picked his cup back up and took another sip, before smirking to himself. Eko hadn't said a word about Rika's offer, far from any sort of protest, he had seemed amazed by it.

"_My katana's a pervert."_ he thought, shaking his head. He then glanced up at the door, as he suddenly thought of something, _"Does she even have anything to clean those with?"_

He mentally shrugged before taking another drink from his tea. He rested his arms on the counter as he looked out the window. It really was strangely clear, considering it had been raining heavily only minutes ago.

"_How the hell did I forget that?!"_ he then thought, remembering that he was in fact soaked to the skin.

He got up off the stool and headed into the bathroom. The room was a little damp, proving that Rika had been in here, though he didn't really doubt it. He took off his cloak and dropped it down the laundry chute, before taking his jacket off an putting it in there as well. He shook his head wildly, getting the worst of the water out of his hair. He then looked at himself in the mirror, before sighing.

"_How pathetic am I?"_ he thought, as he pushed the door open and left the bathroom. He headed through the kitchen and placed his hand on the door to his bedroom, pulling it and stepping through, _"Huh?"_

He looked around his room with a confused look on his face. Rika was nowhere to be seen, she had completely disappeared. He stepped forward, looking at the door and wondering if maybe she'd taken Eko and his headband down to her uncles workshop. That was more than he'd been expecting, but he wasn't going to-

"_Wait a minute."_ he thought, as his eyes locked onto the window. He knew for a fact that it had been closed, and even if he didn't, there was no reason for it to be that wide open, _"She didn't!"_

He ran over to his window, leaning out it as he looked around. He couldn't see her down below, so he looked up. But there was still no signs, she couldn't have gotten away that fast could she? He turned his gaze once again to the ground, before spotting her lavender hair. She was running across the rooftops!

"_I'm such an idiot!"_ Naruto cursed himself, as he pressed his foot on the sill.

He let himself fall out the window, placing his feet upon the pipes as he descended. He bolted down the wall as fast as he could manage, the ground was coming up fast. He reached a projection of the pipes and bounded off of it, leaping to the building Rika must have leapt to. He now ran on the same level as her, but she still had quite a lead.

There was no doubt in his mind, Rika had to be a Kunoichi. There was no way a civilian could have covered this much ground without painting the road. She definitely had chakra control. That meant she also had other training too. Just what was she up to? Why was she stealing his headband, when surely she had her own?

Rika looked behind her, checking the window she had escaped from. She had probably been wondering if Naruto had noticed yet. It was for that reason that she cried out in shock when she realised he was only about a street behind her.

"RIKA!" Naruto yelled, not bothering with manners. He hadn't expected her to stop, and he had been correct. She just turned back to looking where she was going, and upped her pace. Naruto watched her in surprise, how fast _was_ she?

He could see that she was clutching Eko's sheath tight, the hilt was jutting from her right side. That told him that Eko couldn't stop her if he wanted, since she was only holding the sheath. At this distance, he could only vaguely sense the blade's presence, but if Eko was calling out he couldn't hear. But he was getting a bad feeling, didn't Kisame say that when the swords were removed from their owners, they lost all their memories?

"_I gotta get him back now!"_ he thought, as he clasped his hands together. Then, in a moment of inspiration, he was struck with an idea. Instead of putting his hands in front, he leapt into the air, thrusting his palms back, "Futon: Reppusho!"

He channelled as much power as he could into the Jutsu, making it as strong as possible. The ensuing blast of wind shot him forward at a speed so far unprecedented by him. It was like he had taken a giant leap in the air, he was now at least two stories above Rika. The girl looked back when she saw his shadow, and shrieked as he descended upon her. Because of her fright, she failed to keep track of her footing and tripped, falling off the rooftop and down to the alley before.

"RIKA!" Naruto yelled again, as he straightened his body out and fell down after her. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her small body, turning in the air before his back slammed into the ground. He didn't even feel pain, just numbness as he passed out.

* * * * *

"Wherever did you find that girl?" Pein asked, as he watched Naruto and Rika from his perch. He wore a bemused frown, studying Naruto with interest as he used the Jutsu Pein had taught him only earlier that day, "A boosted jump, ingenious."

"She is the daughter of one of the guards." Konan explained, but flinched as the two teenagers disappeared into the alleyway, "Should we help him?"

"He isn't a Jinchuriki for nothing." Pein replied, sitting back, "So who is she?"

"Her name is Sakai Rika." Konan said.

"Ah, Kohaku-san's daughter then?"

"Yes, she is his only child." Konan replied with a nod, "He was quick to make the suggestion, he seemed almost eager."

"Is that so?" Pein asked, looking up at his partner, "She seems rather well trained, but judging from her age I would guess she graduated only recently."

"Actually, she didn't graduate at all." Konan replied, "For some reason, she pulled out before the exam started."

Pein frowned, his smirk dropping. This was news to him, and a large uncertainty. That wouldn't do at all.

"Bring Kohaku-san up here." he said, "I wish to speak with him."

Konan bowed her head, before turning and leaving. When she was gone, Pein leant forward, staring at the thin line Naruto had vanished through.

"_Sakai Rika…"_ he thought, _"Did I perhaps make a mistake?"_

* * * * *

Naruto wasn't out of it for very long. In fact, he woke just in time to hear the sound of puddles splashing as Rika's footsteps faded away.

He groaned, rolling over and pushing himself to his feet. His back was killing him, but nothing seemed to be broken. He looked in the direction he'd heard Rika leaving, before shaking his pain off and running after her.

It seemed she knew her way around the intricate side streets of Amegakure. More than once Naruto had been forced to stop to listen for her, he was lucky that there were very few people around. He decided to take to the rooftops again, and ran in a steady ascent along the walls. But once he'd made it to the roofs, he realised hearing her would only be harder. That meant he had no other choice than to up his numbers.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, summoning six clones behind him. They all leapt down and scattered through the labyrinth of sub streets and alleyways, listening intently for Rika. The real Naruto kept to the roofs, in case one of them dispersed and he would need to head to that position quickly. However, it seemed it wouldn't be necessary.

"Over here!" one of the clones cried, and Naruto was instantly alerted. He ran from building to building towards the point where he'd heard the cry. He could also see the other clones head there too, they all converged on the announcers position.

Together, they all gathered in what looked like someone's garden. It was unusual, a small square in amongst the buildings, with wooden columns holding up the slated awnings around it. Faded white trellis' were positioned partway down from the awnings, with slithers of ivy hung here and there. On the small grassy square, there was a faded white plant pot, large and round. Several weeds poked out of it, only partially obscuring Rika's form.

Her eyes darted across the seven Naruto's surrounding her. She was cornered, there was nowhere to run. But she wasn't scared. In fact, she seemed even angrier than Naruto.

"Why the hell are you following me?!" she demanded, glaring up at them. She gripped the reason tight to her chest, Eko was completely silent.

"Why do you think?!" the real Naruto countered, stepping forward, "You stole Eko, give him back!"

"Why should I?" Rika snapped, locking eyes with him, "You were stupid enough to leave me alone with it, you don't deserve a blade like this!"

"You're right, I was stupid!" Naruto replied, "I can't believe I trusted you, you're nothing but a thief!"

"Don't you call me that!" Rika yelled, standing. She glowered at Naruto, who returned her look unafraid, "Take it back!"

"You are!" he shouted back, "You took Eko and ran away with him, what else does that make you?!"

"Shut up!" Rika cleverly countered, "I need this, and I need the headband!"

"Why?" Naruto asked, with an uncomprehending look, "You gotta be a ninja, no way could you have moved that fast!"

"Well I'm not!" Rika yelled.

"Bullshit!" Naruto spat out, "How could you have gotten out of the building that fast then?"

Rika opened her mouth to shout out an answer, but faltered. She looked away, glaring at the wall to her right. Naruto stared hard at her, waiting for an answer. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, before snapping away again.

"My dad." she said, "He didn't want me to become a Kunoichi. He made me drop out before graduation."

Naruto's glare reduced to a frown, and he straightened up. Rika noticed this and looked at him, though she still looked angry.

"He says it's because he doesn't want me to get hurt, but I know he's lying." she said, "He thinks because I'm a girl that I won't be any good as a ninja, so he made me drop out."

Naruto watched her closely, studying her face. He kind of knew where she was coming from, there were quite a few people who hadn't wanted him to become a Shinobi, so he could relate in a sense.

"So your dad…" he said, but wasn't really sure how he would end his sentence.

"He wanted a son." Rika replied, dropping her gaze. Naruto kept his eyes on her, he could see through her anger, there was a flicker of sadness.

Rika looked up in surprise as the clones all dispersed into puffs of smoke. She looked at Naruto again, demanding an answer without speaking.

"But what does that have to do with this?" Naruto asked, as delicately as he could. Rika hesitated for only a moment, before answering.

"If I can steal the prized possessions of a real ninja, I can prove to my dad that I can be every bit the ninja he is." she replied, holding Eko and Naruto's headband further up her chest, "I've got your headband, and this sword looks pretty valuable. There's no way he can turn me down now."

She fixed her eyes on Naruto's waiting for a response form him. But he just stared dumbly back at her, taking in what she had said. After several moments of silence, he slowly nodded his head. He then turned around, looking over his shoulder.

"Come on." he said, gesturing for her to follow. Rika looked at him incredulously, tightening her grip on the items she held.

"Why should I?" she demanded, taking a step back.

"Your dad's that way, right?" Naruto asked, pointing at the tower, "I dunno where you were going."

Rika blinked, looking from the tower to Naruto.

"Uh…" she muttered, before she realised something, "Wait a minute, you're not gonna try and take these back?"

"I'll get them later." Naruto replied, "Once you've proven to your dad that you can be a ninja, you won't need them anymore."

Rika blinked again, looking at Naruto with a confused frown. Naruto just looked plainly back at her, waiting for her to follow him. She stood for only a few seconds longer, before begrudgingly joining him.

They walked out from the alleys into the main street, and the two of them headed in a straight course for the tower. The streets were lit by lamps and the bars, the only open business at this hour. The only people in the streets were adults, children seemed to be hushed away by this hour. Rika kept close to Naruto, glancing at the people around distrustfully. She looked up at Naruto, who seemed surprisingly peaceable for someone walking beside the person who had just stolen from him.

"What's going on here?" she asked, with a creased brow, "Why are you doing this?"

"Why not?" was Naruto's obscure reply.

"You thinking you're gonna get something from this?" Rika asked, narrowing her eyes. Naruto looked at her in alarm, clearly shocked by her question.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, "What kinda person do you think I am?"

"How should I know?!" was Rika's heated reply. But that was exactly what she was thinking, she just couldn't work Naruto out.

Naruto continued to watch her for a few moments later, before mentally shrugging. He looked ahead, and his expression was soon relaxed again. Rika continued to stare accusingly at him, but soon grew tired of it, dropping her gaze as well.

"So how come you wanna be a ninja?" Naruto asked, as they passed a drunk arguing with a barkeep.

Rika seemed to ignore his question, and instead adjusted her hold on Ekokaeten. Naruto glanced at her from the corner of his eye, before looking ahead again.

"You wanna use my shower again?" he asked. He'd noticed that Rika was filthy, probably from the fall. She realised this too, but hadn't said anything.

"I don't have anything to change into." she replied, pouting to herself.

"Well, we're about the same size." Naruto said, with a sideward glance, "So you could borrow some of mine for a while."

Rika looked at him in surprise. Naruto was beginning to wonder if her brow would ever unfurrow.

"What kind of offer is that?!" she demanded, "I can't wear your clothes!"

"Well I guess I could buy something." Naruto offered, spotting a small clothes store which was still open, "But it might give people the wrong impression."

Rika looked at the clothing store, her cheeks reddened as she caught Naruto's meaning. She buried her chin into her chest, looking like a small child.

"Fine, I'll wear your clothes." she conceded, to her own displeasure, "But my dad's gonna flip."

"I think he's gonna be a little more concerned that you stole from his boss's subordinate." Naruto replied, with a cheeky smirk.

"What?!" Rika exclaimed, looking at Naruto in disbelief, "You mean you're…?"

"Sorta." Naruto said, with a shrug. He then wore a troubled look as if he had just realised something, "Man, I hope my boss doesn't find out about this. I don't know what he'll do. Hey, your dad's job is important, right? He's not like a guard or anything?"

Rika stared at Naruto, her mouth hanging open. She scanned his face, praying that this was a joke. She suddenly blinked, realising she'd hit the nail on the head.

"Quit screwing with me!" she ordered, with yet another glare, "There's no way you're that important, why should I believe you?!"

"You don't have to." Naruto replied, "You can find out for yourself."

Rika fell silent, staring at Naruto again. He glanced at her, giving a questioning shrug. She averted her gaze, looking down at the ground.

"I… I don't want my dad to lose his job." she said, to her own annoyance, "It's not worth it."

Naruto raised his brow in surprise as she suddenly handed Ekokaeten and his headband over. He took them back, but kept his eyes on Rika. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, but broke contact almost immediately. A few seconds later however, she looked up again. She lifted her head as she looked confusedly at Naruto, why was he smiling?

"What?" she asked, tucking herself in.

"Nothing." Naruto replied, as he strapped Eko on. He tied the forehead protector back on, before looking over his shoulder. Eko was still silent, he couldn't help but wonder why.

"Let me ask you something." Rika said, looking straight at Naruto, "Why didn't you just take your sword back when you had the chance?"

Naruto turned his eyes to Rika, his expression turning settled and calm.

"Because I know what it's like to want someone's approval." he said, "And I know how bad it feels when people don't wanna accept you for who you are."

Rika's brow raised, and she finally looked like the girl Naruto had met not long ago. She kept her eyes on his, quietly surprised by his words.

"You do?" she asked, her tone suggesting that she hoped so.

"Yeah." Naruto replied with a nod, "I do."

Rika kept her eyes on him for a moment, longer, before quickly looking away. Naruto still watched her though, and thought he could see her cheeks reddening.

"I'm sorry." she muttered, "For taking them."

She waited for a response, but didn't look. Naruto remained silent however, and curiosity proved too strong for her. She almost jumped when she realised how close he was, especially with the big smile he was wearing.

"Hey, you like ramen?" he asked.


	27. Divided we stand

After much consideration, my entire plan involving Rika has changed, and the arc to follow. Hopefully this is a more interesting twist, let me know what you think

**Disclaimer: Pein is god. That's all.**

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* * *

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**Divided we stand**

Naruto sat on a bench in the outskirts of Ame, where it was a little more rural than the rest of the village. He looked up at the cloudy sky, he was beginning to understand how it worked around here. Unless Pein decided otherwise, there shouldn't be any rain today. He lowered his gaze, looking at the simple shops in the street he was in. It looked more like a market than an industrialised village. Small stalls and buildings were the majority of the structures here, and the number of people came accordingly, meaning that there were few around.

He rested his arm across the back of the bench, his black pullover obscured any dirt that may have come as a result. He had a look of anticipation on his face, he was both waiting and eager.

A little while later, he spotted her, coming out from a gap in the stalls. She was dressed differently than before, she had a white jacket with pale brown fake fur around the edges, and a pair of light coloured jeans. She had white and pale purple trainers on, it wasn't a difficult guess what her favourite colour was. But for some reason, she was acting a little strange. She appeared to be lost, or at least she didn't know what she was looking for. She glanced around with a raised brow, passing over Naruto a couple of times.

"Hey Rika-chan!" he called, waving his hand high in the air, "Over here!"

Rika looked at him in surprise, looking him up and down. She then began walking towards him, and he grinned broadly at her. When she reached him, she stopped, her hands held in front of her.

"Are you Naruto-san?" she asked, her voice a little higher than normal, "I'm sorry, but Rika couldn't make it."

Naruto blinked, staring up at the girl in front of him.

"Wai- wha?" he mumbled in confusion, "You're not Rika-chan?"

"No, I'm her sister." The girl replied, bowing, "My name is Sakai Yuuka, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Uh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, getting to his feet, "So is something wrong?"

"Oh, not at all." Yuuka replied, "She just exhausted herself and needs rest."

"She wasn't getting into more trouble was she?" Naruto asked, with a concerned look. Yuuka stared at him for a moment with a troubled expression.

"Um… I know this might sound a little strange, but do you think you could stay for a while?" she asked, "There's something I'd like to talk to you about, if you aren't busy."

"Sure." Naruto replied, with a raised brow. He pointed to the other side if the street, where a small café was stationed, "You wanna go in there? It's pretty cold out here."

"Yes, thank you." Yuuka said, bowing her head gratefully.

Naruto stood up, before the two of them crossed the small street and stepped through the curtains into the café. It was a small place, not very busy. There were little round tables scattered across the floor, with two chairs on either side.

"Why don't you find a place to sit while I get some drinks?" Naruto asked, glancing at Yuuka to his right.

"Oh, you don't have to do that!" Yuuka hastily replied. But Naruto just grinned at her.

"It's no trouble." he said, "Actually, I'd be glad to."

Yuuka raised her brow in surprise, but after a moment she relaxed.

"Ok then, thank you." she said, with a small smile.

Naruto nodded, before heading to the bar along the left wall. There was an elderly woman working there, wearing a mint green apron and hairnet. Despite her age, she was bigger than Naruto in both senses, but still looked pretty gentle.

"What can I get you my dear?" she asked, looking down at Naruto with a smile.

"Two teas please." Naruto replied, as he reached for his wallet.

"Just a moment." the old woman said, as she turned around and headed through the door behind her. Naruto glanced around as he waited, it looked like Yuuka had found a place by the entrance, next to the left wall.

"This is a little wired, isn't it?" he muttered. After a moment of silence, he remembered that Eko wasn't with him. For some reason, the blade had been completely silent ever since Naruto got him back from Rika. He was worried that maybe it was more than just losing his memories that Eko went through, _"I think I might have to find Kisame-sensei."_

"Here you go dear." the old woman said, reappearing with two steaming cups.

"Thanks." Naruto replied, exchanging the drinks for some money. He then took the two over to Yuuka, who thanked him again when he gave her the drink.

"So what is you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked, resting his arms on the table as he looked at the girl opposite him.

Yuuka glanced down into her cup, before looking to the streets outside. She seemed hesitant, like she was unsure of what she should say or how.

"Well… I was just wondering…" she said in a quiet voice. She then looked straight at Naruto, with an expression suggesting nothing, "What are you to my sister?"

Naruto raised his brow in surprise, he hadn't been expecting a question like that.

"To your sister?" Naruto repeated, sitting back, "Well, we just met yesterday, and we were only going to hang out today, so I guess we're just friends, right?"

He couldn't explain why, but Yuuka seemed to relax when he said this. She even let out a small sigh of relief, for whatever reason.

"That's good." she replied, before hastily adding, "I mean, that Rika hasn't spoken very much of you, I was worried she was keeping things from me."

"Why, does she do that?" Naruto asked, quietly pleased that Rika had spoken of him at all.

"Oh, no!" Yuuka replied, shaking her head lightly, "It's just me being paranoid, don't worry about it."

Naruto continued to look at her, even when she glanced outside again. It was obvious there was more on her mind, but it looked like she didn't want to speak about it. Naruto decided to make it easier for her then, leaning back and picking up his cup.

"Rika-chan's pretty determined, isn't she?" he said, looking outside as well.

"Yes, she is." Yuuka agreed, before suddenly looking at Naruto, "She hasn't caused you trouble has she?"

"Nah, nothing that hasn't been resolved." Naruto replied. Though in truth, he was troubled about Eko. He'd wanted to ask Rika if anything had happened during the time she'd taken the sword, which was why he was disappointed that she wasn't here, "Sorry if it sounds rude, but I'm kind of surprised she has a sister. She seemed sort of lonely, y'know?"

Yuuka lowered her gaze, looking into her cup. Naruto noticed this and wondered if maybe he'd been more than a bit rude.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that." he said, leaning forward, "She just…"

"I know what you mean." Yuuka said, forcing a small smile, "Rika and I don't talk as often as I'd like, regretfully."

Naruto dropped his gaze, sensing Yuuka's mood. Sibling troubles were a little out of his depth, understandably so. He thought he should say something, but really had no idea of what he _could_ say.

"Uh… you know, Rika-chan is actually pretty sweet, once you get used to her." he feebly said.

Yuuka smiled to herself, nodding.

"Yes, I remember that." she replied, looking up at him, "Thank you for that."

"Uh, it's alright." Naruto mumbled, looking away embarrassedly. After a couple of seconds, he looked at her again, seeing that she once more looked troubled, "What's the problem?"

Yuuka blinked, looking at Naruto in surprise. She seemed taken aback that he had managed to read her so easily, even though she hadn't made it difficult. But the look soon passed, and she leant forward, cradling her cup in her hands.

"Well… Rika told me something." she said, quietly, "She said you work for the same person our father does, but you're higher up than him. Is that true?"

"I uh… yeah." Naruto replied, leaning forward as well. Yuuka looked him in the eye, concern plain in eyes that were almost exactly like her sisters.

"Can I ask you something, and you won't tell anyone about this?" she asked, hunching forward as if she was afraid of someone reading her lips.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, doing the same.

"You promise?" Yuuka asked with uncertainty. Naruto smiled warmly at her.

"Promise." he replied, confidently. Yuuka searched his eyes slowly, before trusting his words.

"There's gonna be a fight, isn't there?" she asked, "Over all of Ame."

Naruto's brow shot up, that was the _last_ thing he'd been expecting to be asked about.

"How did you…?" he breathed, revealing the truth to Yuuka.

"It's true then." she whispered, bowing her head in despair, "I'd overheard my father saying some things, and then he made us drop out of the academy…"

"So it wasn't because she was a girl." Naruto muttered, thinking of what Rika had told him yesterday, "Wait, you were in the academy too?"

"Yes, but to be honest I didn't really want to become a ninja." Yuuka replied, "I didn't really have any talent for it. I only tried because of Rika."

Naruto slouched a little, looking at Yuuka's lowered head. She seemed distressed about the upcoming war, it made Naruto wonder something.

"What did you hear about your dad?" he asked, as softly as he could. Yuuka looked up at him, her expression unchanging.

"I heard him say that he was going to be put in a battalion or something." she explained in a hushed tone, "And that it's soon."

"He made you drop out so you wouldn't be a part of this." Naruto said, with an understanding nod. He certainly preferred that explanation to Rika's, "He's not quite the person Rika-chan thinks he is."

"That's what I've been trying to tell her, but she doesn't listen." Yuuka agreed, nodding herself. She was about to say more, but they were interrupted.

"Now now dearies, no kissing." the old woman said, shaking her finger. Both Naruto and Yuuka straightened up with embarrassed expressions.

"So what's your part in this?" Yuuka asked, eying the old woman carefully, "If you don't mind me asking."

"It's ok." Naruto replied, glancing down, "To be honest, I'm not really sure. I was added to the numbers just a few days ago."

"Wait, you're going to be fighting as well?" Yuuka asked, with a shocked look, "But you couldn't be older than I am!"

"You're probably right." Naruto replied, shrugging, "But I'm kind of indebted, I would still be in Konoha if it weren't for Zetsu-san."

"You're from Konoha?!" Yuuka exclaimed in hushed shock, "What are you doing in Ame?"

"Well, a bunch of things." Naruto replied, resting his arms on the table again, "Right now I'm just training for… you know."

"But why?" Yuuka asked, leaning forward again, "Why would you want to take part in this?"

Naruto sat back, resting his arm against the back of the chair. He looked past the curtains to outside, where it was pretty peaceful.

"I don't really have a motive." he said, "After what I've been told though, I just wanted to do it."

Yuuka watched Naruto closely, listening to his words quietly.

"I don't think people should ever have to feel alone." he continued, "It's worse to feel like that when there are so many people around you. I think if people would stop judging each other, then we would all get along better. But it doesn't look like that can happen the way things are now. Too many people are doing what they can for themselves, because it's all they can do."

He then looked back at Yuuka, shrugging.

"That's my opinion anyway, but I can't say for sure." he admitted. Yuuka thought his words over silently, looking down at her hands.

"Doing what they can…" she repeated, "Yes, it's like you said. This village is divided. People don't know who to trust, so they don't trust anyone. You don't really see it, but we're splitting at the seams. I think this battle was always going to happen. Maybe it's better that it's now, at least with so may people gone for that event in Konoha."

Naruto looked Yuuka's face up and down, and felt something like settlement. For some reason he felt more at ease, though he couldn't explain why.

"But…" Yuuka continued, gripping her cup tighter, "I'm… a little afraid. I don't know what's going to happen, my father's going to be in the middle of it all."

She dropped her gaze further, trying to restrain herself. She looked on the verge of breaking down, like she would start crying right there and then. Naruto couldn't stand that thought, it was driving through him like guilt.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine." he said, reaching out and touching her hand. Yuuka looked up in shock, almost flinching from his touch, "The person your dad and I work for, he's going to finish this real quick. I promise, nothing will happen to him… I'll make sure of it."

Yuuka stared into his eyes, looking deep for any signs of deception.

"Can you really make that promise?" she asked, with clear doubt.

"I made it, I'll keep it." he replied, with determination, "I won't go back on my word."

Yuuka watched him further, before allowing a small smile.

"Thank you." she said, "But… why?"

"Your dad cares about you and Rika-chan." Naruto replied, "He's even willing to have Rika-chan dislike him, all he wants is to keep you two safe. That's the sort of person who deserves to keep going in my opinion."

Rika fell silent, her mouth hanging slightly open. She looked at Naruto for several moments, before closing her mouth and looking down.

"You're a really kind person." she said quietly, "I'm glad Rika knows someone like you."

It was Naruto's turn to stare, though he was a little less discreet about it. He watched Yuuka for a while, before she started to fidget uncomfortably. He then shook his head, clearing it.

"Sorry." he said, taking his tea and drinking from it.

"It's ok." Yuuka replied, drinking from hers as well.

* * * * *

It wasn't until much later than Naruto returned to his room. It was fortunate, as only moments later it started raining again. He walked to his windows and closed the curtains, it was pointless to leave them open now.

He turned around and looked at his bed. Eko lay on it, still in his sheath. Naruto sat down on his bed and reached out, picking the sheath up.

"Hey, Eko-kun?" he called, resting the blade on his lap. Just like before though, he didn't get a response. It was really troubling him now, why wasn't Eko reacting?

"_I wonder if…"_ he thought, as he reached out for the hilt. He pulled Eko out in one swift motion, holding him at eye level.

"Wha… Naruto?"

Naruto let out a large sigh of relief, hanging his head forward.

"You're ok." he said, with a thankful look on his face.

"… You're an idiot."

The corner of Naruto's mouth twitched as he resisted a grin. Great, not a word for almost a day and this was what he came out with?

"No more than you." he replied, "You're so smart, how come you didn't say anything?"

"Hey, I yelled, but you didn't respond."

"Guess the walls are thicker than I thought." Naruto muttered, shrugging. He then placed Eko back in his sheath, strapping him to his back, "So what was that like?"

"I'll let you know when the migraine passes."

Naruto chuckled, getting back to his feet. He headed back out his room, before pausing. He glanced down either side of the hallway as he tried to make a decision. In the end, he chose to take the left path, climbing the stairs to the next level up. In moments, he was at Pein's door, knocking and waiting.

"Come in." Pein called.

Naruto walked into the room. As always, Pein stood in the alcove, a grim shadow hunched in the cold. The rain beat the village furiously, like an assault from skyward archers. Naruto took a step forward, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, something up?" he asked, looking outside with a raised brow.

"This is just a piece of reconnaissance." Pein replied, without looking at Naruto, "Determining the patterns of movement for our enemy."

"Oh, cool." Naruto muttered, not sure what else to say, "Hey, how do you do that?"

"It's simple, for me that is." Pein replied, "I infuse the water with my chakra, so that I can make it rain at will."

"Oh… does it need to be that heavy?" Naruto asked, taking another few steps forward, till he was just behind Pein.

"To get the best results, persistence is needed." Pein replied, "So what is it you are looking for?"

"I… I just wanted to ask you something." Naruto answered, hesitantly, "It's a request."

"Oh?" Pein mused with interest. Naruto took a deep breath, before straightening up and putting on his most confident expression.

"I want to be placed on Sakai Kohaku's squad for the battle." he said, with as much determination as he could muster.

Pein looked back, his brow raised in surprise. He studied Naruto's expression thoughtfully, a look of interest on his face.

"Sakai Kohaku you say?" he repeated, bemusedly, "An intriguing request, I would have thought you to prefer a more important role in this battle. You are aware that joining his squad would put you on the frontline?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Naruto replied, "Besides, I don't think Gaara-san would complain."

"Fair point." Pein nodded, turning around, "But what brought on this idea? Why Kohaku-san?"

"Well… I made a promise to someone." Naruto explained, hesitantly, "So I have to be on his squad."

"I see." Pein muttered. He seemed to think it over for a few seconds, before turning away, "As you wish, I will have the arrangements made. You may want to alert Gaara-san, so he can prepare accordingly."

"Yeah… I'll do that." Naruto replied, with a tinge of unease, "Thanks."

He turned around and left, closing the door behind him. Pein glanced back, a smirk clear on his face.

"How fortunate." he quietly said, before returning his gaze to outside.

Naruto descended the steps back to his floor, and walked out into the hallway. He looked down to the other end, where Gaara's room was located. He really wasn't looking forward to this. He sighed, before heading that way. It was better to get this over with now.

He stood in front of Gaara's door, hesitating. The small scarlet barrier kept the two apart, Gaara and him. Right now, Naruto wasn't particularly keen to see those cold eyes, to be put under that detesting stare. But all the same, he had to do it. He raised his hand, and knocked lightly on the door.

"Gaara-san?" he called, "It's Naruto."

He waited, not so much with patience than anxiety. He listened for the sound of footsteps, expecting the door to open at any moment. But he heard none, everything on the other side was silent. He tried again, rapping his knuckles against the wood. Yet again though, there was no answer.

"_Is he out?"_ he thought, looking out the window. He knew that he'd hate to be caught out in that, it was really a powerful storm. Not for the first time, he was forced to wonder if Pein maybe got some enjoyment out of things like that. But he dismissed it, it was a dumb idea.

He began to turn back to go to his own room, but he then spotted something on the floor. The pale brown carpet had a dark patch on it, which looked wet. There were a couple in fact, between the window and Gaara's door. They looked like footprints, _very_ wet footprints. That at least confirmed that Gaara was probably inside, was he in the shower perhaps? After what Eko had told him he guessed the walls were either naturally thick, or soundproofed. Even if they weren't, it didn't look like Gaara was going to answer the door. So Naruto just turned around and walked back down the hall, quietly relieved. He opened his door and walked straight into his room, towards his dressing table.

"Hey." called a voice.

"WHA!" Naruto yelped, whipping around with his arms raised in a poor defensive stance. On the other side of his room, on his bed, Rika sat looking at him strangely.

"Put 'em away tough guy." Rika said, with a cocked brow. Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding, relaxing, "Sorry about earlier, I crashed."

"It's alright." Naruto replied, unstrapping Eko from his back.

"Don't you leave me with her."

Naruto ignored the blade, setting him down on the dressing table. He then turned to Rika, who was watching him with a strangely expectant look.

"You want some ramen?" Naruto asked, heading to the kitchen.

"Again?" Rika queried, an incredulous look on her face, "Is that all you eat?"

"Whenever I can." Naruto replied, "Is that a no?"

"Fine." Rika sighed, rolling her eyes. Naruto smirked, before walking through the door.

"HEY! Don't you leave me with her!"

"So what brings you here?" Naruto asked, preparing his favourite "dish".

"Eh, didn't have anything better to do." Rika replied, adjusting her socks.

She was wearing the exactly same outfit she had on yesterday, though hopefully it only appeared that way. Naruto had avoided wondering why she was dry, it suggested things he didn't want to consider. For now, he'd just pretend she took the long way up and they just missed each other.

"Wow, I'm honoured." Naruto muttered, with light sarcasm. Rika giggled, a strangely high pitched sound for the usually glaring girl, "Well, not much going on outside, so what do you wanna do?"

"You could show me that Bunshin Jutsu." Rika replied, casually, "Those were different from normal ones, weren't they?"

"The Kage Bunshin?" Naruto asked, stepping into the room and leaning on the wardrobe, "Yeah, they're different."

"How so?" Rika asked, sitting cross legged. She looked just like a little girl like that, though she had the mischievous glint of any young boy in her eyes. It was that glint that sent warning flags flying through Naruto's mind, and made him more than a little uneasy.

"Well, it's a Kinjutsu for a start." he replied, folding his arms, "So forgive me if I don't rush to teach it to you."

"Humph!" Rika pouted, crossing her arms and huffing immaturely. Naruto laughed at her face, she looked really bratty right now.

"So you wanna learn something huh?" he asked. Rika dropped the expression and nodded, her brow raised as she anticipated what would happen next, "Ok then, channel your chakra."

Rika blinked in surprise, she wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't a lesson right away. She didn't complain however, and quickly did as she'd been told, holding her hands in the seal and closing her eyes as she concentrated. Naruto headed back into the kitchen while he did that, smiling and shaking his head.

"Ok… what now?" Rika called out, her brow creased with effort.

"You know the Bunshin Jutsu?" Naruto asked, as he removed the lids from the ramen cups.

"Yeah." Rika replied.

"Make a Bunshin in the exact same place as you are." Naruto directed, "But give it a different outfit, a bigger one."

"What?" Rika asked, with a confused look.

"Like, thicker clothes." Naruto explained, as he poured the water into the cups.

"Uh… ok..." Rika replied, tensing her entire body. Naruto stepped back into the room, resuming his position against the wardrobe.

"Attagirl." he said, grinning.

Rika carefully opened her eyes, looking down at herself. She was wearing Yuuka's white jacket, and a pair of black slacks in place of the outfit she had on before. She looked up at Naruto with a confused expression.

"That's it?" she asked, "I can already use the Henge no Jutsu, what's the use in this?"

"It's just a little trick my sensei taught me." Naruto replied with a shrug, "If you can keep your Bunshin stable and moving the same way as you, then you've got a disguise that you can break without alerting any sensor nin in the area. They notice Henge's a lot faster, since you use chakra to maintain them, but Bunshin deteriorate over time."

Rika's brow rose slightly, it certainly seemed like a decent idea. And it wasn't the most difficult Jutsu she'd ever tried.

"Ok, what else?" she asked, as the Bunshin disappeared.

"Don't get greedy." Naruto replied, stepping into the kitchen, "Come on, ramen's ready."

Rika pouted again, but followed him into the kitchen, closing the door behind her.

"Great… now I'm on my own…"

Naruto and Rika sat down on the stools as they dug into their ramen. Rika was a little more refined than Naruto, but more due to the fact that she had a waistline to watch than manners. All the same, she was a little sloppy, accidentally dripping some soup onto the counter. Both of them ignored though, and continued eating.

"So you're still gonna try and become a Kunoichi then?" Naruto asked, picking up a piece of fishcake and popping it into his mouth.

"Yep, and you're gonna train me." Rika replied, as she sipped some soup. Naruto nearly choked on his fishcake, swallowing it hard.

"You want _me_ to train you?" he asked, looking at her disbelievingly.

"Well, there's no one else around." Rika replied, with her usual disregard, "So you're the only option."

"Great." Naruto muttered, picking up some noodle, "Just great…"


	28. Deep inside

Yeesh, barely got this finished in time. These damn holidays have made me completely screw up my internal clock. Hell, I didn't get up until 6pm! Still, it's done, and I'm still on time. Moving onto plot next chapter, it's mostly just hints here. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Is Jashinism like voodoo?

* * *

**Deep inside**

"What do you want?" Gaara asked, crossing his arms.

Naruto, who had been making his way to Gaara's room, came to a sudden stop. The red haired Shinobi had appeared before him, not through his door, but from the window. It looked like he had been out again, though with the way his eyes were it was impossible to guess how long he'd been gone.

"I just wanted to let you know that we're gonna be on the frontline for the attack." Naruto replied, "We'll be put in one of the squads causing the diversion, so we'll need to attract some attention."

"Fine." Gaara said, heading to his door.

"Hang on." Naruto called, stepping forward, "Actually, there was another reason I wanted to talk to you."

"Say what you're going to say." Gaara ordered, stopping with his hand on the door. Naruto faltered for just a moment, before nodding.

"Right, I…" he began, trying to figure his own words out, "I wanted to talk to you… about the Biju."

Gaara looked at Naruto, taking several seconds in silence. He made his choice, lowering his hand and folding his arms again.

"The Biju." he repeated, "You mean the Shukaku and the Kyubi."

"Yeah." Naruto replied, with a weak nod, "It's just… you can talk to your Biju, can't you?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly, an almost accusing look appeared inside them.

"The Shukaku speaks to me whether I wish it or not." he said, "In anger, sadness, or even sleep. He whispers in my ear, just before he roars."

"Oh… so you don't know how it works?" Naruto asked, with mixed feelings of disappointment and relief. Gaara switched his stance a little, so he was facing Naruto directly.

"You wish to communicate with the Kyubi." he stated, "You can't unlock his power on your own, so you seek my help to do so."

"Well… yeah." Naruto muttered, looking down. Gaara stared fixedly at him for several moments, before opening his door.

"Leave your tools and blade in your room." he instructed, before disappearing into his room. Naruto blinked in surprise, wondering what was going to happen.

"How come he doesn't want me in there?"

"I dunno." Naruto replied, as he turned around, "What do you think?"

"Honestly? I think the second you walk through that door unarmed, he'll attack."

Naruto paused, looking back warily. That sounded almost exactly like what Gaara would do. Was that his intention?

"_Nah, what am I thinking?"_ he thought, shaking his head, _"He isn't the underhanded type, if he wanted a fight, he'd have just gone ahead and attacked."_

He stepped into his room and removed Eko from his back, laying him down on the bed.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Naruto replied, as he placed his pouch and weapons holster down next to the blade, "Pein-san will probably stop him if he tries anything."

"You sure about that?"

Naruto faltered for a moment, looking down at Ekokaeten. Of course Pein would stop him, he wouldn't have gone to all this effort just to have Naruto critically injured before the battle. It would be obstructive at best if that were to happen.

"Yeah, pretty sure." he replied, straightening up, _"I hope…"_

"Just watch yourself. I don't trust that guy."

"Yeah, I will." Naruto replied, as he turned around and left.

He made his way back down the hallway to Gaara's room, and paused just outside. He felt the same anxiety he'd had last night, but it was now coupled with nervousness courtesy of Eko. All the same, he was expected now, so he could hardly turn back. He raised his hand, and knocked on the door. It opened just seconds later, Gaara steeping aside to let him in. Naruto nodded in thanks before entering the room. He took a few steps in, before stopping to look around.

The room was almost exactly like Naruto's had been before he'd had it fixed up. Stone walls, wood flooring and a large, curtainless window. It was almost the same, except for the key difference that really took Naruto by surprise.

For some reason, almost every empty space had been filled with large vases with wooden lids, each reaching roughly waist height to Naruto. Chestnut red, ceil blue and moss green urns of all shapes and sizes covered the floor, providing only a single thin passage to the kitchen.

"What's with the urns?" Naruto asked, looking back. He never completed the motion however, as Gaara's sand pummelled into him, "HAGH!!!"

He was tossed straight through the window, shards of glass scattering down to the streets below. Sand fastened around his limbs and head, preventing him from forming seals or even calling out.

He hurtled through the air, aware of his descent through the gap in the sand that allowed sight. He watched as the ground below drew drastically closer, his eyes widening in terror. It felt like the air shared his sentiment, for it was beating past him like it was trying to desperately defy gravity.

"_Damn it!"_ he thought, as he struggled to break free. But the sand was only tightening, it was beginning to hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the sight as best as he could, _"I need help!"_

* * * * *

It was that place again. That dark underground system from before. It was the water that Naruto noticed first, his wet but warm feet alerted him to it. He opened his eyes, and realised the rest. He stood before the giant gates, those eyes were already upon him, mysterious and penetrating. Just like last time, those eyes knew more than they should, and gleefully flaunted that fact. Through the darkness, a grin grew to match the arrogance of those eyes, genuine delight and restrained laughter were obvious, though not much else.

"Here again?" the beast asked, ironically, "You are becoming a frequent visitor."

Naruto stared up at the Kyubi, as terrified as he was before. His full eyes and clenched jaw made his feelings clear, though he managed to keep more obvious signs at bay.

"I… I need your chakra." he said, his breathing fast and anxious.

"Why else would you be here?" the Kyubi asked, "But the more interesting question is, why should I give it to you?"

"What?!" Naruto yelped, his expression turning to shock, "Well, why not? You gave it to me last time!"

"Yes, but that was because I was bored, twelve years of doing nothing can have that effect." the Kyubi replied, "This time however, it will cost you."

"Cost me?" Naruto repeated, wondering what on earth he could offer.

"Yes…" the Kyubi grinned, "If you wish for my chakra, you must remove this-"

He came to a sudden stop, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. He looked closely at Naruto, studying the boy critically.

"That chakra." the Kyubi muttered, "That strange, familiar chakra… what is it? _Whose_ is it? Why do I know it?"

Naruto watched the Kyubi warily. The giant fox had started rambling to himself, his words were barely coherent. Since he was unable to do so, it was for that reason that Naruto noticed the sound that seemed to come from nowhere, an equally indecipherable whisper. It slithered through the air, and passed through the gates, before crawling up to the Kyubi's ears.

"Impossible!" the monster breathed, his eyes inexplicably wide, "It can't be!"

"Can't be what?" Naruto asked, feeling great unease. The Kyubi's eyes refocused, and he saw Naruto once more.

"It seems that somehow, you are in league with that person." the beast muttered, "Then there is no choice…"

* * * * *

Naruto plunged downwards, past one of the many tiers of Ame to the lower depths. He was still gripped by sand, any moment now his body threatened to strike the ground with a sickening thud. But Naruto was ready. He could feel the Kyubi's chakra pour through his veins, setting his entire body alight. Even though this was the third time he'd experienced this, it didn't come any easier. The adrenaline rush was so strong, it forced him into action. He pulsed the chakra out of his body, blasting the sand away from his limbs and head. He then pivoted through the air and lashed out with his hand, grasping at the wall to his left and dragging along it until he gripped it with his other hand. He was now latched to the wall, chakra keeping him in place.

He whipped his head skywards, looking to the point he had been thrown from. But his eyes didn't lock on the broken window, they instead set themselves upon the person responsible for his harsh descent. Gaara plummeted through the air, his hands high in the air and his knees slightly bent as the air blasted through his cloak and hair. He passed the same tier Naruto did, but he was nowhere near a point to latch onto. It seemed he didn't need one however, as the sand from his gourd poured out and flew beneath him, providing a platform that slowed his fall.

He struck the ground, crouching down on one knee. Sand and dirt flew out in every direction, creating a small cloud around his feet. He slowly straightened up, taking his time to look up at Naruto, who was visibly shaking in anger.

"That look in your eyes, it is clear what your intentions are." Gaara stated, ignoring the small crowd that was gathering, "What you wish now is to inflict pain upon the person responsible for your anger, namely myself."

Naruto steadily slid down the wall, his chakra blackening the stone as if a molten claw were being drawn across it.

"However, I also know that you are a coward." Gaara continued, "Being faced against someone who would take true joy in killing you, even though you have done nothing to offend that person. Because you cannot understand it, you fear. You do not wish to kill me, but you know that I wish to kill you. Therefore, a battle could only result in either your death, or my incapacitation."

Naruto landed on the ground, glaring at Gaara, though listening closely.

"Your primal instinct would be to flee, because there is no way a battle could bring you any benefit." Gaara said, folding his arms, "But right now, that thought isn't even an option to you. That is because the Kyubi is influencing your thoughts."

Naruto tensed, his brow furrowing but his eyes widening. He was being influenced by the Kyubi?

_Do not show pity, he will give you none. Kill him, as he wishes to kill you._

Naruto growled, and lunged at Gaara, hands bared like claws. Gaara leapt back unnecessarily, the sand protected him from the attack. He dropped down another tier, possibly the lowest one judging by the way it resembled a dock. Naruto quickly followed, hopping down and landing on all fours.

"Look at you, you are a human, yet you move like an animal." Gaara said, as the sand billowed around him like a gentle whirlwind, "Tell me, do you even recall how this situation occurred?"

Naruto ignored him, dashing straight forward as he pounced. But the sand struck him, knocking aside. He skidded across the ground turning to face Gaara once more. He glanced to his right, they were both next to a waterway leading to outside the village. His mind may have been feral, but he was aware enough to remember that Gaara's weakness lay in water. He looked back at the red haired boy, who returned the stare with an expectant look.

"This is what you wanted, to contact your demon." he said, "But you're so weak, you can't even resist its influence."

Naruto ran at Gaara, leaping through the air and flipped through the air as he aimed a heel kick at Gaara's head.

"It's useless." Gaara said, as the sand moved accordingly.

Naruto smirked. He planted his foot on the sand and bounded off of it to the left, where he pivoted in the air. He then faced Gaara while still upside down and clasped his hands.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, thrusting his palms outwards. Gaara's eyes widened in shock as he was struck with a blast of searing wind, the sand couldn't move fast enough to protect him.

He was thrown through the air, flying over the water as his body quickly descended toward it. Naruto landed on the ground, grinning broadly as Gaara fell to the water.

_Ffffrrrssshhh._

Naruto growled in annoyance as more sand poured out of the gourd and rested beneath Gaara, keeping him from falling into the water. Gaara got to his feet, only a little shaken from the surprise attack.

"It doesn't matter if you've learned a new trick, it is pointless if used in the same strategy." he said, "And that was nowhere near the strength of that other attack."

Naruto's growl continued, becoming lower as he crouched down. He gripped the ground tight as he prepared to attack again, he was determined to succeed this time.

"That's enough."

Naruto fell forward mid leap, landing untidily on the ground. The adrenaline disappeared as quickly as it had come, and he was left feeling a little numb. He turned his head to the left, looking up at the source of the voice.

Konan hovered high above, looking down at the two of them. From her back, dozens of sheets of paper formed a pair of wings which spread wide and gently beat to a steady rhythm. It was a strange sight, despite her shape the cloak was quite large and bulky. Although she was in the sunlight, because of the angle she was cast in shadow.

The gathered crowd stared at Konan with wide eyes, trying to figure out who this person was, and the two beneath her as well.

"Konan-san?" Naruto thought aloud, as he pushed himself to a sitting position.

"Stop causing trouble." Konan ordered, looking down at Naruto harshly, "Show some self control."

Gaara returned to dry land, stepping down onto the harbour. He looked up at Konan, though showed no signs of interest in her words. Naruto got to his feet, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uh… sorry." he said, unsure if that was the right thing to say. Konan looked at him for several moments, before speaking again.

"Pein is watching over you, don't shame him." she said, in a clear tone, "He will protect you as long as you follow his way."

Naruto's brow raised in surprise, should she really be saying such things in a place like this?

"Am I to assume it was he who broke Naruto-san's connection to the Kyubi?" Gaara asked, as stoic faced as ever.

"His power is great, don't forget that." Konan replied, as her skin paled. Then, mysteriously, she seemed to transform into hundreds of sheets of paper, all of which blew away in the breeze.

Naruto stared up in shock, that definitely wasn't a Shunshin.

"Who was that?" a man in the crowd muttered.

"She had to be a Kunoichi." said another.

"She looked like an angel." chimed in a woman.

Naruto blinked as he realised Gaara was beside him. He looked questioningly at the boy, but his gaze wasn't met.

"You are nowhere near strong enough to resist the will of your demon." Gaara said, his eyes fixed on the spot Konan had been, "It seems that was what he was looking for."

Naruto was about to ask what he meant, but Gaara didn't give him the chance. He disappeared in a whirl of sand, and left Naruto on his own. The crowd turned their gaze to him, it made him uneasy to be under their gaze like that. He turned around and headed to the alley behind him, and disappeared from view.

* * * * *

"They were fighting in the streets." Konan said, as she stepped through the alcove and into the room, "Gaara-san threw Naruto-san from the tower, but they were in his room. I don't know what they were doing there though."

"I have an idea." Pein replied, stepping out from the shadows, "It seems Naruto-san wishes to learn how to use his Biju."

"So he went to Gaara-san?" Konan asked, with a small frown, "He isn't exactly the best person to ask about self control issues."

"Yes, though I suspect he was also trying to get closer to Gaara-san." Pein agreed, "He has a strange habit of trying to understand people, and Gaara-san is quite perplexing."

Konan looked at Pein, who appeared to be deep in thought. She found her gaze wandering over his face, hovering slightly on his right eye. But then his attention snapped to hers, and she switched her gaze to both eyes.

"Summon the team leaders tomorrow morning." he said, "Go over the battle strategy with them. And include those two, it is best that they stay involved."

"Of course." Konan replied, nodding, "You won't be attending?"

"No, it's better that as few people know of me as possible." Pein said, before his expression became faintly amused, "At least, as certainty."

* * * * *

"Back already?"

Naruto grumpily strapped Eko back on his back, ignoring the question. He then replaced his pouch and weapons holster, before throwing his cloak on.

"Things didn't go as planned?"

"Not really." Naruto replied, as he fastened his cloak tight, "Looks like you guessed right?"

"Oh crap, he actually attacked you? What happened?"

"He knocked me out the window." Naruto replied, annoyed by how huffy his tone sounded. But his annoyance was redirected when Eko broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Are you freaking kidding me? Out the window?!"

"Shut up!" Naruto complained, as he pulled his door open. His eyes widened in shock as he realised there was someone in front of him.

"Um… hello Naruto-san." Yuuka said, with a scared expression, "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Oh, sorry Yuuka-chan." Naruto replied, stepping back, "What are you doing here?"

"Rika lost her bag, you haven't seen it have you?" Yuuka asked, with a slightly worried look, "It's yellow…"

Naruto's brow raised as he realised what she was talking about.

"Oh, yeah." he replied, as he reached behind the door, "Is this it?"

He handed her a denim yellow satchel, which she was relieved to see.

"Oh, thank you!" she said happily. She threw it over her shoulder and bowed gratefully, "I've been looking all morning!"

"Why didn't Rika-chan come and get it?" Naruto asked, "If it's her bag, shouldn't she have come for it herself?"

"Oh, she overdid it again." Yuuka replied with a smile.

"Man, what does she do all night?" Naruto muttered, with an exasperated expression, "Is she training or something?"

"Oh, that's just the way she is." Yuuka replied, with a small laugh, "Well, I guess I'll be going now."

She gave Naruto a small wave, before turning and heading for the stairs. Naruto stared at her for a moment, before coming to a decision.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he called, stepping out and closing his door, "I was heading out anyway, you want some company?"

Yuuka paused, looking back at Naruto with light surprise.

"Uh, sure." she replied, smiling again. Naruto grinned, before joining her.

They stepped through the door and began heading down the stairs, though neither of them were in any particular rush. Naruto looked down at Yuuka, she was wearing the same jacket from before, though she was now wearing a denim skirt that looked a lot like Rika's.

"Did you climb all this way by yourself?" Naruto asked, "I never actually thought about how Rika-chan gets up here, ever since I learned how to walk on walls I've been coming in through the window."

"Yeah, Rika does that sort of thing too." Yuuka replied, looking back with an embarrassed smile, "But I was never really good at that sort of thing."

"Oh, yeah." Naruto said, as he recalled her telling him so before, "I guess that makes getting around a little harder for you then."

"I prefer to think of it as Rika has an easier time." Yuuka replied, "After all, I'm not worse off… am I?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Naruto hastily said, realising he'd been insensitive right there, "Sorry, that was a dumb thing to say."

"It's alright." Yuuka replied, turning her head back to the stairs.

They descended the next few floors in silence, Yuuka running her hand down the spiralling railing while her other hand gripped the strap of the satchel. Naruto still felt a little guilty about being an idiot, but there was something else he figured he should bring up.

"I talked to my boss, I'm gonna be placed in your dad's squad." he said, choosing his words carefully.

Yuuka faltered for a moment, her grip on the strap tightening. But she relaxed almost immediately, continuing on her way.

"You don't have to do this you know." she said, in small voice, "You don't have any reason to do it."

"Well, I sorta promised Rika-chan that I'd help her prove what a great ninja she could be to her dad." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head, "Even though the circumstance has changed, I did promise her."

"I see…" Yuuka said quietly, "That's very kind of you, but Rika is a strong person, I'm sure she could handle it on her own."

Naruto's brow raised in surprise, he hadn't expected her to say that.

"That's a little strange, coming from you." he said, "Didn't you want to be closer to Rika-chan?"

Yuuka came to a sudden stop, looking back at Naruto with wide eyes and parted lips. She stared up at him for several moments, before dropping her gaze with a look of shame.

"You're right, that was a bad thing to say." she admitted, continuing the descent, "Forgive me for that."

Naruto gave Yuuka a look of concern. It was strange how open Rika was, yet how closed off Yuuka seemed to be. Even though they were twins, they seemed so different.

"_I wonder what's going on?"_ he thought, _"Between these two?"_


	29. Final arrangements

Wow, this is me just back from college and the first thing I'm doing is posting this. Let me clarify, it is 12pm right now (midday), and I woke up at 4pm, yesterday. And yet I don't even feel like getting sleep, it's been a while since I've been like this. I've recently been considering ways to proerly introduce an OC, since I failed with Rika. Hopefully that's not the case here, and that I've learned from that. Let me know if I have, I need to learn how to properly use OCs anyway, so it would be a great help.

Disclaimer: Does anyone else see the insane amount of puppet-style fighters in Akatsuki? Sasori, Kakuzu, Pein, Deidara (after that god awful filler fight scene, it looked like a massive cumshot!), what's with that?

* * *

**Final arrangements**

"Naruto-sama, it is time." said one of the guards.

"Ok, thanks." Naruto replied, closing his door. The person before him looked to be a Chunin, judging by the flak jacket and slacks. He wore his forehead protector like a bandana, his dirty blond hair sticking out in clumps. He looked down at Naruto with tired eyes, though his stance showed the respect Naruto didn't feel he deserved.

"I'll take you there." the Chunin said, turning towards the stairs. Naruto nodded, before following him.

They descended several floors in silence, the Chunin slouching as he walked. Naruto gave the man an odd look, he seemed way too tired to be working.

"So what's your name?" Naruto asked, in an attempt to make conversation.

"Eh?" the Chunin muttered, looking back with a raised brow, "Oh, it's Deisuke."

"Nice to meet you Deisuke-san." Naruto said.

"Yeah, same to you Naruto-sama." Deisuke replied, turning his head back to the front.

"Hey, isn't Gaara-san coming with us?" Naruto asked, glancing up.

"Gaara-sama's already down there." Deisuke replied, "He was already waiting when the first team got there."

"Wow, somebody's eager."

Naruto nodded in agreement, it was obvious why. Chances were that Gaara was getting itchy fingers, anticipation for the war he'd been promised. He was having to settle for this at the moment, so he was probably keen to get straight into it.

"So do you know anything about what this meeting's about?" Naruto asked, with a curious look.

"You don't?" Deisuke countered, looking back with a serious expression. Naruto realised the implications of what he'd said, and hurriedly corrected himself.

"Well yeah, it's about Hanzo." he said, "I was just wondering what you know about it."

"Well, now that I know it's about Hanzo, I guess it's time to attack." Deisuke replied, looking forward once more.

"_Damn, are all Ame nin this sneaky?"_ Naruto thought, with weary eyes.

They finished their descent several minutes later, when Naruto had lost all sense of space and no longer knew which floor he was on. They came out into what looked like a warehouse, though it seemed to be more like a large basement. There were several loose cables protruding from steel panels that ran in rows across the ground, as if there was supposed to be heavy machinery down here.

The place was very dark, even the light seemed to be but a shadow, coming from the weak bulbs high above. Along the walls, large vents were in place, creating a continuous groan of exhaustion as air was allowed to circulate, there really was no way to tell how deep down they were right now.

Off to the other side of the room, the light was the strongest. Four fluorescent tubes cast their headache inducing light upon the small stage along the wall. Around that stage, there were a crowd of what appeared to be ninja just like Deisuke. There were several wooden crates in that part of the room, all of which were being used as seats by some of the more weary Shinobi and Kunoichi. Deisuke looked at them all passively, but let out a sigh of relief.

"At least they didn't start without us." he commented, as he and Naruto made their way over to the crowd.

Almost everyone in the crowd glanced up at the two newcomers, most of them looking down at Naruto. They seemed surprised to see him, though they didn't seem to recognise him.

"Another kid?" one of the Kunoichi said, "What's going on here?"

"If you'll all take your places, I can answer that." replied a voice.

Konan stepped out from the side of the room, what she'd been doing there was anyone's guess. But everyone bowed down to her, suggesting that they at least knew who _she_ was. She stepped up onto the stage, standing before a large, covered canvas and faced the crowd.

"The schedule has been pushed ahead, the attack will start two days from now." she said, looking around the faces that stared back at her.

"Two days?!" a Shinobi exclaimed, "But we're nowhere near ready! How do you expect us to manage?"

"Your roles have all changed." Konan explained, "None of you will be involved in the direct attack. You will all cause diversions over the village to distract the opposition."

Naruto shifted his way through the crowd, having spotted Gaara's gourd. He joined the red haired boy, who barely acknowledged his presence.

Konan turned around and pulled the tarpaulin aside, revealing a large map of Amegakure to occupy the canvas. On the map were several numbers, placed in seemingly random positions.

"It will be your goal to take out as many of the opposition as you can from these positions." Konan continued, "At each point is a safe house, where there are all the necessary tools you need in multitude. Stock up as much as you can, then use the flares inside that should attract the attention of Hanzo's soldiers while the main force makes the attack on Hanzo himself."

"Main forces?" Deisuke repeated, rubbing the back of his head, "Isn't that why we're here?"

"A change of circumstance." Konan replied, "Rather than an assault, Hanzo is to be assassinated."

The crowd tensed, looking up at Konan incredulously. Naruto noticed the peculiar reaction and looked around with a raised brow. Was there a reason that was such a surprise?

"Is that really possible?" called someone, "Who could do that?!"

Gaara folded his arms, closing his eyes. He seemed to be growing tired of the talking, and wanted to get on with it.

"I assume then, that it will be Pein-san who will be performing this task?" he asked, rhetorically, "We are only distractions… this is a waste of time."

He turned around and passed through the crowd, locking cold eyes with anyone who stood in his way. Naruto watched him in surprise, he seemed quite apathetic considering how early he showed up.

"Gaara-san." Konan called, looking straight at the boy, "Your teams position is placed in the most heavily guarded section, your team will most likely have the most enemies out of all."

Gaara stopped, looking over his shoulder. He didn't seem interested, but he was no longer leaving.

"Civilians?" he asked.

"As few as possible." Konan replied, "The attack is planned on the day of a festival, so most of the villagers will be out of the way."

It was impossible to tell if Gaara was glad of this fact or not, at least judging by his expression. But everyone in the room could feel his killer intent, it was enough to make them stare.

"Which team?" he asked, staring directly at Konan.

"Team Kohaku, number one." Konan replied, earning surprised looks from some of the crowd, but all of the remained silent.

Gaara glanced up at the map, focusing on the point marked with the number one. He then turned away, and left silently. As soon as he was gone, attention returned to Konan, with several bewildered looks.

"You're putting that kid in _our_ team?!" demanded a disbelieving Kunoichi, "He'll die for sure!"

"Both Gaara-san and Naruto-san will be placed in your squad." Konan replied, "There is no discussion about it. You all have your orders, you will take position at midday of that day."

With that, she left the stage and disappeared back into the shadows. Naruto was left wondering just where she'd disappeared to, it didn't look like there was a door there, just another vent by the sound of things.

The crowd around began to disperse as most of the ninja took their leave. Four people stuck around, two of them with their eyes fixed on Naruto, who had the strange feeling he was to stay.

"So you and that other guy are gonna be on our team huh?" asked a muscular man with a shaved head. He sat on a crate with his elbow resting on his knee, and had the way of moving his lips like someone who smoked a lot of cigarettes, "What the hell's a kid like you doing involved in this?"

"Uh… well I…" Naruto stammered, taken aback by the welcoming.

"Watch you mouth Jirou." said another man, stepping out from behind a couple of stacked crates, "This kid works with Angel-sama."

Naruto stared at the man, and already knew who he must be. Those eyes were the same, a deep shade of blue that none of the others had.

He was an averaged height man, pretty plain build as well. But he had grey hair, with perhaps the slight tint of blue in it, that hung down his face messily. He had narrow eyes, and sickly looking skin, coupled with a weak chin covered in a thin layer of stubble. Like most of the people there, he looked quite tired, as if he'd been overworked.

"You sure about that?" asked Jirou, with a cocked brow, "This kid looks like he barely knows how to piss standing up!"

"Shut up Jirou." muttered a woman with long, black hair. She seemed to be sitting behind Jirou, with her back pressed against his. She also seemed to be sleeping, judging by how the back of her head was against his shoulder, "You don't want Kohaku to stab you, right?"

"For the last time, I don't stab people." Kohaku sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He then looked over at Naruto, before dropping his hand, "So you're Uzumaki Naruto right? The kid from Konohagakure?"

"Wait a minute, he's from Konoha?!" exclaimed a different man, who stepped forward with an aggressive look in his sharp brown eyes. His dark, gelled up hair shone slightly in the light, his broken nose and goatee made him look quite rough. He was by far the most muscular, and judging by his bare arms, quite hairy, "How the hell did a Konoha nin get in?"

"Easy Isamu." Kohaku said, raising his hands to calm the large man. But then he gave Naruto a hard look, "Though I'd like to know the answer to that as well."

"Oh, well… you see…" Naruto stammered, with his hand behind his head, "Technically, I'm not a Shinobi. I never actually graduated."

He suddenly began to feel nervous as three pairs of bulging eyes stared at him, the woman seemed to be asleep again.

"You never graduated." Jirou repeated, his brow raised in disbelief, "So then that makes you a civilian."

"If Angel-sama gave him that headband, he's a ninja." Kohaku sighed, "Soon her word will be law anyway, so it might as well be accepted now."

"Damn it, I don't like this." Isamu muttered, sitting next to Jirou in a hunched position, "Hey kid, you better not hold us back."

"Uh… I'll do my best." Naruto nervously replied. His words seemed to have the opposite effect of what he intended though, he seemed to rather annoy them in fact.

"Tch, "You'll do your best"?" Jirou repeated, pressing his palms against his knees. He then began pushing himself to his feet, "That's it-"

_Thud._

"HEY ASSHOLE WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" the woman yelled, propping herself up on her elbow and glaring. Naruto couldn't help but marvel at her pretty face and crimson eyes, they were like rubies.

"Sorry Haruka." Jirou said, wincing. Haruka muttered a few curses to herself before rolling onto her side and closing her eyes again, "Anyway, I want you to hit me with your best shot."

This time everyone winced as a dull thump filled the air, soon followed by Jirou's groans of pain.

"Sorry, thought you were talking to me." Haruka said, though by her twitching brow it seemed she had other motivation.

"Damn it… Haruka…" Jirou gasped, collapsing to the ground with his hands between his thighs. Kohaku pinched the bridge of his nose again, sighing once more.

"Haruka…" he said, in a no nonsense tone.

"Yeah yeah." Haruka muttered, waving her hand obnoxiously.

"Guess I'll take the shot." Isamu muttered, getting to his feet, "Come on kid, show me what you got."

Naruto, who was still tense from the sudden attack by Haruka, looked at Isamu bewilderedly.

"You want me to hit you?" he asked, unsure of what was going on.

"Hit me, throw a shuriken, use a Jutsu, I don't care." Isamu replied with a shrug, "Just try not to trip over your own feet."

Naruto looked warily at Kohaku, who had so far tried to keep order. But in this case, he just leant against the stacked crates and folded his arms.

"It's best you get this over with." he advised, "Don't let their attitudes fool you, they really are this stupid."

Naruto was a little shocked by the cruel words he had passed to his own team mates. Because of that, he missed Isamu and Haruka's smirks, which would have told him that it had been a joke. As it was, he was left to take on a stance, and look uneasily at the golem before him.

He hesitated, still trying to figure out if he should go through with this. But from the looks he was receiving from both Isamu and Kohaku, plus the small pool of drool dripping from Jirou's gaping mouth, these guys were pretty brutal. In the end, he knew he'd have to go through with it.

"So, you gonna use me, or Kage Bunshin?"

Naruto didn't answer, though he already knew what he would say. He was pretty confident with his Kenjutsu, but he knew he was nowhere near perfect. Plus, this guy wasn't exactly a lightweight, he looked like he was used to getting in close and personal. Kage Bunshin didn't really count as a single attack either, using them would only result in a counterattack he was sure he'd feel for a while. That left only one choice. He clasped his hands, and channelled his chakra.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, pushing forward with his hands. The blast of wind was strong, since he was only a few metres away he could focus on the power of the attack. The gale blasted straight at Isamu, who didn't even flinch as he was struck by it. Dust billowed in every direction, and the stacked crate shifted slightly from the wind that got past the target. But Isamu stood straight, not moving even an inch. The gust subsided, leaving only an annoyed Haruka with her hands over her head. Isamu barked out a laugh.

"Futon huh?" he asked rhetorically, "Been a while since I was hit with that. Didn't do very much though, is that really your best attack?"

"I'm gonna kill that kid!" Haruka growled, pushing herself up slightly.

"Easy Haruka, calm down." Kohaku said, straightening himself up, "We got what he wanted. We'll use him as bait."

"Bait? Ha!"

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto exclaimed, stepping forward. He then blinked, wondering where that outburst had come from. Isamu seemed curious too, judging by his cocked brow.

"Looks like the kid's got some fire after all." he commented, "But he's just a scrawny little shrimp!"

"_Scrawny little shrimp!"_

Naruto blinked again, as he was hit with a strange sense of déjà vu. But he shook it off, looking straight at Kohaku.

"I got more than that!" he said, forming a hand seal, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

He summoned three clones around him, all of them holding the same seal as he was. He looked at the elder ninja for their reactions, and was definitely satisfied. Even Jirou looked up, his brow raised in surprise.

"He can use the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?" Isamu said, his surprise evident, "Isn't that a Kinjutsu?"

"Yeah, from what I hear." Kohaku replied, stepping forward, "And he can summon three, that's pretty impressive."

"Pfft, I can make more than three." Naruto muttered, folding his arms with an annoyed look.

"More?" Kohaku repeated, with a sceptical look, "You shouldn't push yourself, more is too dangerous."

"Oh yeah?! Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called, engulfing the room with smoke.

The four Ame nin began coughing loudly, there wasn't enough circulation in here for the smoke to properly dissipate.

"I am gonna kill. That. Kid!" Haruka growled again, squinting through the fog. But like the others, her jaw soon dropped as the smoke slowly cleared. There were easily over a hundred Naruto's filling the room, all of them grinning broadly at the four in the middle.

"How d'ya like that?" the clones asked in perfect unison.

Kohaku and the others all stared around, awestruck at the sudden masses. Even Haruka seemed wide awake, looking around dumbly as she tried to work out what she was seeing.

"Ok… so the kid's got a lot of chakra." Isamu commented, with a perplexed expression.

"That's more than a lot." Kohaku replied, with the same look, "It's too many, he shouldn't have this much chakra."

He turned his gaze, somehow locking eyes with the real Naruto. He looked sternly, folding his arms again.

"I think you've got some explaining to do." he said, in a strict tone.

Naruto's grin turned into a nervous laugh, as he suddenly got another feeling of déjà vu. The clones all disappeared, and once again smoke filled the room.

"Uh… how do I put this?" he said, with a slight sweat.

"You just had to show off."

* * * * *

"… So Angel-sama is enlisting the help of these "Jinchuriki" then?" Kohaku asked, before sighing, "This could be a problem."

"What a pain." Haruka grumbled, resting her head on Jirou's shoulder.

"So then that other guy is one too?" Jirou asked, not daring to move lest he instilled Haruka's fury again, "Damn, he looked like he really wanted to kill somebody."

"I dunno, I'm not buying it." Isamu said, folding his arms. He and his team mates all sat on the crates, while Naruto sat on one that had been placed down not far in front by a couple of Kage Bunshin, "What are the odds of one Jinchuriki finding another?"

"Better if it was planned." Kohaku replied, scratching his chin, "Angel-sama wouldn't have sent him out without a lead. If it needed to be Naruto-san here, then I wouldn't be surprised if she took every precaution."

Naruto, who had the strange feeling he had just been insulted, looked between the four with an interested expression. It looked like they had been a team for a while, judging by how close they were. Was that because of their personalities, or was it the way things just ended up? Either way, he couldn't shake the sense that this scene was somehow familiar to him, since he knew no one like these four. Well, Isamu was a little like Kisame, but not enough to properly compare.

"Whatever, so he comes with an army." Haruka said, before yawning loudly, "So he acts as a distraction while we take out the enemy."

"That would be the best plan." Kohaku agreed, "Though the problem with Kage Bunshin is that chakra gets divided equally, so the more he has, the weaker he is."

"So what?" Haruka asked, "If the enemy thinks they're surrounded, they're still gonna panic."

"Yeah, but it only gives us a short window." Kohaku replied, "Once they work out what's going on, we could lose our advantage."

"Geez, it almost sounds like you don't wanna survive." Isamu muttered, his jaw sitting in his hand, "Lighten up would ya? We're not even in battle yet."

Kohaku shook his head, a look of exasperation on his face.

"So you want to save planning for when we're in the middle of a war zone?" he asked, "You can never prepare enough. Our advantage lies in the fact that our opponent isn't expecting us, but that's only a fleeting grace. We need to milk it for all it's worth."

"Alright!" Haruka groaned, slouching forward with her arms on her knees, "So Jirou scouts out beforehand, we'll find the guards positions and lay traps. Since we're a distraction, we don't want to take them out too quick. We want them to be able to alert other patrols, but not too many that we're overwhelmed. So we'll only take out the guards who move in close formation, and any large groups."

"Assuming that patrols won't change because of the festival, that's fine." Kohaku replied, "We all know our roles, but what about Naruto-san and Gaara-san?"

"Kid, you got anything else up your sleeve?" Haruka asked, looking at Naruto with tired eyes, "Just those two?"

"Well, I got this." Naruto replied, turning so they could see Ekokaeten.

"A katana huh?" Isamu noted, "Then his Kage Bunshin will have it is well, that makes a hundred sword wielders."

"What about the other one?" Haruka asked, lazily.

"Uh, he uses sand." Naruto replied. Haruka looked at him expectantly, waiting for more, "Well uh… he uses it kinda like a Suiton type ninja uses water, expect he crushes stuff with it. It also gives him a fast acting shield that's hard to break through."

"Ok, mid to long range." Haruka muttered, "Since it's sand, we'll need to hope it doesn't rain. If it does, he'll need to cover the buildings and stay inside, which isn't much good if the enemy stays outside… Alright, if it rains, it'll be your job to watch over him. If it doesn't you two stick together, you'll be acting as bait."

"_Damn it…"_ Naruto thought, though decided against voicing that statement.

"I'll work out anything else later, I'm going home." Haruka said, getting up and leaving.

"All right, see you later then." Kohaku replied, nodding at her back, "I guess that pretty much covers everything."

Jirou and Isamu nodded, before getting up and taking their leave as well. Naruto and Kohaku were left on their own, but Naruto had the feeling he was still to stay. When the others left through the door, Kohaku spoke again.

"Pein-sama summoned me a few days ago." he said, looking Naruto in the eye, "He asked me something very personal. You wouldn't happen to know what that was?"

Naruto's brow raised at Kohaku's question. From what he had guessed, the people working for Pein all believed Konan to be their leader, suggesting they knew little about Pein. But Kohaku not only knew of him, he had spoken with him. And about a personal subject.

"_Could that be… Rika-chan and Yuuka-chan?"_ Naruto wondered, as he considered that option. If the truth was based on what Naruto knew of the Sakai family, then that would be the only answer. But in this case, he couldn't say why Kohaku was asking him about this.

"I don't know." he replied, "Why?"

"It's nothing, forget about it." Kohaku replied, turning to the door, "Meet us down here tomorrow morning, and bring Gaara-san. We'll run a drill."

"I don't know if Gaara-san will come, but I'll definitely be there." Naruto replied, with a smile and a nod. Kohaku returned it, minus the smile, before he began making his way out, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead." Kohaku replied, pausing and looking back.

"Most of the guards here have been calling me "Naruto-sama"." Naruto explained, "I'm not conceited or anything, but I was wondering-"

"You were wondering why we're not on our knees, praising your footsteps?" Kohaku finished, "Respect is something you earn. In battle, your team is your family, it doesn't matter about your blood or heritage. You fight for them, and you better be willing to lose blood for them. If you can't do that, then you've got no place in our regard. And absolutely, under no circumstances, is your life worth more than your comrades. Don't ever forget that."

Naruto stared at Kohaku, his eyes wide as he was filled with a strange feeling. He should have felt frightened, or at least worried by the way he was being looked at, but he wasn't. This man, he was so _cool_. He was the kind of person Naruto wanted to be just like, strong, confident and determined.

Kohaku looked ahead and continued on his way, but stopped again as Naruto spoke.

"That's great!" he said, feeling a fire in his gut, "That's fine with me!"

Kohaku looked back again, showing his surprise. It didn't seem he was expecting that response, he looked unsure of how he was supposed to react.

"You're fine with that?" he asked, disbelieving.

"Hell yeah!" Naruto replied, getting to his feet, "Don't doubt it!"

Kohaku stared a few seconds longer, before shaking his head with a weak smile.

"Fine, have it your way." he said, as he headed again for the door, "See you tomorrow kid."

"Right!" Naruto replied, nodding with a confident smirk. Kohaku disappeared through the door, and Naruto was left staring at the wall.

"… You really look like an idiot right now."

Naruto's hands dropped to his sides, his expression falling.

"Not even then…" he muttered, with a depressed look, "You couldn't let me have that, could you?"

"That's just the way it goes."

"… Bastard…


	30. Secrets of the past

Nothing much to say here, or rather I got nothing to say. Is it a dumb question to ask yourself if you've gotten any sleep yet? I can't remember, though if not then I will have been awake for about 31 hours straight, a new record I think. Ah well, I'm not that tired. I haven't included one of these scenes in a while, but i think it's necessary. Bet you hate it when I get obscure like that.

Disclaimer: Just watched the Hachibi show up in the anime. At least I can distinguish his rapping, it's not so easy when reading the manga, is it?

* * *

**Secrets of the past**

Naruto sat on the ground, his back pressed against a tree and his arms wrapped around his legs. He looked at the people across from him with a pouting expression, making him look even more childish than usual. All around him where the sounds of metal hitting wood and earth, and the excited chatter of other children rang out through the trees. The soft afternoon sun cast through the forest, small rays broke through the branches and leaves, shining across Naruto's unhappy face.

"Who the hell gave you explosive tags?!" Umino Iruka demanded, his hands on his hips and his brow creased in anger. Naruto looked up at his dark haired sensei, glancing at the scar running across his nose like he always did.

"Found em." he muttered in reply, averting his gaze.

"Nice going shrimp!" Inuzuka Kiba growled, from his seat on top of a fallen tree. Naruto ignored his shaggy friend, locking eyes with one of the rocks on the ground, "Now we're all in for it!"

"You were in trouble the minute you started throwing the damn things!" Iruka yelled, glaring down at Kiba.

"So what are we doing here?" Nara Shikamaru asked, from his obscured position behind the plump Akimichi Choji. They both sat on the tree as well, their backs against each other as they each took a nap.

"Sleeping in class!" Iruka barked, though no one flinched.

"But we're not in class." Choji pointed out, with the innocent look only he could make believable.

"The class is where the teacher's at." Iruka replied with a sneer. Needless to say, he was immune to a child's charm, "But if you prefer, I could just send you back to the classroom. Would you like that?"

"No Iruka-sensei." Naruto, Kiba and Choji replied.

"Am I gonna catch you with explosive tags again?"

"No Iruka-sensei."

"Good." Iruka muttered, leaning against the tree behind him. He folded his arms and looked out to the rest of the class, who were taking turns with their shuriken practice.

Kiba sat back on the fallen tree, his little white dog Akamaru was curled up on his lap. Choji watched the birds in the trees while Shikamaru nodded off. The four of them looked very peaceful there, very tranquil. Naruto watched the all, and couldn't help but feel relaxed as well.

* * * * *

Naruto opened his eyes, blearily looking up at his ceiling. He was confused for a while, he often was when waking up from a dream.

"_Oh, it was a dream…"_ he thought, as he rolled over onto his side. He looked over at the opposite wall, though from his peripheral vision he could just make out the village hidden in the leaves, Konohagakure, _"But… why was I dreaming about that?"_

"You awake?"

"Yeah." Naruto grumbled, raising his arm to his head. He was feeling pretty sluggish, though maybe he was just a little disappointed.

"Hey uh… you got any idea what time it is?"

Naruto blinked, looking over at Eko who was propped against the wall next to him. He then lowered his gaze, looking at the small amount of light breaking through his maroon curtains. He suddenly wasn't so tired.

"AH CRAP!" he yelled, shoving the quilt off himself and leaping to his feet. He ran to his wardrobe and pulled his clothes out, thrusting his feet through the trousers and throwing the jacket on. He hastily fastened the zippers on both, before hurrying over to Eko and strapping him onto his back. He stepped back to the wardrobe and grabbed his cloak, before opening his window and leaping out. He put the cloak on as he fell, something that wasn't an easy task.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?!" he demanded, as he hurtled toward the ground.

"Yeah, like I've got a sense of time! In case you forgot, I spent a lot of time in a cave!"

Naruto's sigh was torn away by the beating air as he pressed his feet against the wall of the tower and began running. He really needed to get a watch or something.

He skidded to a halt just in time to jump to the ground, before whipping around and hurrying back inside through the double doors. The receptionists watched him with raised brows as he dashed through the hall, following him with their eyes until he disappeared down a corridor.

"_Gotta run gotta run gotta run!!!" _he thought panickedly, as he threw open the door to the stairwell and barrelled through. Straight into someone else.

"Hey, the kid showed up." he heard Haruka's voice say, from a worryingly close place. He slowly looked up, feeling terror brewing in his gut.

"Yo." Isamu said, looking down at Naruto, who was filled with relief. Haruka looked around Isamu's shoulder, her brow raised at Naruto's strange manner.

"Naruto-san, Gaara-san isn't with you?" Kohaku asked, from somewhere behind the other two. Naruto took a step back, looking around to the pale haired Shinobi.

"I told him, but if he's not here then I don't know." he replied, "He's almost never in his room."

"I see, then it can't be helped." Kohaku sighed, "We're heading out, come on."

Naruto took a step back, allowing the older ninja past. He looked at them curiously, for some reason they weren't in uniform. In fact, they were dressed rather casually in slacks, jeans and jackets. Isamu wore a thick grey hooded pullover, with indigo slacks and a pair of brown boots on his lower half. Jirou had a dark brown suede jacket with a black turtleneck underneath, and navy jeans with black boots.

Kohaku seemed to match his facial appearance and stance, even his clothes were scruffy. A black trench coat and navy slacks, both of which were quite creased. He stood with his hands buried in his pockets, and a blue scarf wrapped around his neck.

But out of the four of them, Haruka was definitely the odd one out. She had on a pair of tight fitting jeans, with a black strapless top and denim waistcoat. She also wore a pair of heels, definitely out of tune with the heavy boots her comrades chose. But strangest of all was her hair. Yesterday it had been long and black, but now it was just past her shoulders, and a light brown. It was done in a more messy, feathered style and for some strange reason, it looked natural.

"Hey Kohaku, you seeing this?" Haruka asked, looking at her captain while pointing at Naruto, "The kid looks ready for a fight."

"Ah, I guess I wasn't clear." Kohaku sighed, before looking at Naruto, "We're going out scouting, so we need to wear everyday clothes."

"Ok." Naruto replied, with a blank look. Kohaku paused, looking like a thought had just struck him.

"You know, clothes you go out everyday in." he elaborated, expectantly.

"Yeah?" Naruto agreed, nodding. It was then that Isamu blinked, realising something.

"You've been going out like that everyday?" he asked, with a bewildered look.

"Yep." Naruto replied, still oblivious to their thoughts.

"Just like that?" Jirou asked, his expression matching Isamu's.

"Why not?" Naruto countered, cocking his head.

The four nin stared stupidly at him, completely taken aback by how casually he was reacting. Even Kohaku seemed stunned, blinking in surprise several times. Haruka was the first to recover, her brow furrowing in anger.

"You mean to say…" she growled, "That every day… you come in and out of this place… wearing a SLASHED HEADBAND?!"

Naruto stepped back in fear as she yelled at him, raising his arm in defence. None of the men were in any rush to calm the enraged woman. In fact, it was just then that Naruto came to realise they weren't looking stupidly at him, but rather they were looking at him like _he_ was the idiot. Haruka stepped forward, grabbing Naruto by the collar and lifting him almost off his feet.

"HOW STUPID ARE YOU?!" she demanded, her face looking ferocious, "HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A NINJA WHEN YOU WALK AROUND AMEGAKURE WEARING THAT PLACE'S HEADBAND WITH A BIG GODDAMN SLASH THROUGH IT?!"

Naruto stared up at Haruka, clearly terrified of her. It was that look of terror that caused Kohaku to act, placing his hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Calm down, he gets it now." he said, as Haruka looked at him. she growled in annoyance, before releasing Naruto's collar and stepping past him, making her way to the main hall grumbling to herself. Kohaku glanced down at Naruto, before looking over his shoulder, "Jirou, stick around 'til Naruto-san changes, then take him with you."

"Fine." Jirou replied, burying his hands in his pockets. He looked at Naruto in annoyance, "Hurry up, you got ten minutes."

"Sure thing, I'll be right back!" Naruto replied, running around them to the window. Hell if he was going the direction Haruka just went.

* * * * *

Up at the highest floor in the tower, in the dark room lit by torches, there was one person, but two shadows. Nagato stared at the tablet placed on the other side of the room, his eyes fixed upon it as he felt the damp sponge touch his back. He shivered slightly, it was still a strange sensation to be touched, even like this. He tried hard not to pay too much attention to the clearly visible bones as he looked at himself through the eyes of his Human realm. He just focused on the job at hand, scrubbing lightly as he bathed himself.

"Though with all my power, and everything I have seen, to have to do things like this." he muttered, bowing his head in angry shame.

He suddenly looked up in surprise as he heard the sound of the door closing. He watched as Konan stepped into the light, looking at him sadly.

"You were just talking to yourself." she noted, looking down at the ground. Nagato stared for a moment, before dropping his gaze and smirking.

"I wonder…" he muttered, before saying clearly, "So what brings you up here?"

"Naruto-san is going with Team Kohaku on their scouting mission." Konan said, "But there's still no sign of Gaara-san."

"He's probably preparing in his own way." Nagato replied, looking Konan in the eye, "You didn't need to come all the way up here to say that. Deva realm is in the usual place."

"I know that." Konan said, looking away in the other direction, "But I…"

Her hesitation caused Nagato's brow to crease as he frowned at her. Human realm even stopped, looking up at her as well. Konan noticed she was under his complete gaze, and looked up at him.

"I didn't want to speak to Pein." she said, "What I want to say, it has to be like this."

There was silence for a few moments, only the flickering flames could be heard as they batted at the air, faintly interested in what was going on around them. Nagato's frown subsided, and his lips parted as he realised what she meant.

"Then this has nothing to do with Akatsuki, or the Jinchuriki." he stated, "But rather… _this_."

He smiled faintly to himself as he tossed his head to the right, his hair flying away from his face. Konan looked at his eyes, but her attention then passed onto his face.

"Don't use that anymore." she said, taking steps forward, "It's too dangerous."

"Right now it is our best chance for success." Nagato replied, faintly amused, "But then, you aren't here with our goals in mind."

"You know why I'm asking this." Konan said, as she stood before Nagato. She ignored Human realm, who was also smiling, "You know what's happening, you just have to look at _him_."

Nagato's smile grew slightly, and he looked over his shoulder to Human realm. He looked closely at the eyes, before he started chuckling.

"That's your worry?" he asked, looking back down at Konan, "A change in pigmentation, and decolouration of the skin. Those are only superficial changes. Don't think of them as anything else."

He suddenly blinked, his expression falling. He stared into Konan's eyes, an idea coming to mind.

"Then, is that the reason for your distance?" he asked, "You were worried that _that_ might happen?"

Konan faltered, averting her gaze with a look of shame. It was all the answer Nagato needed, even though it wasn't what he wanted.

"You need to have more faith in me." he said, with a kind smile, "I don't seem that weak, do I?"

Konan looked up at Nagato, her brow raised and her lips parted. She had been expecting him to close off, it was the action he normally took. But he was actually trying to convince her that she was wrong, and that came as a great shock to her.

"I'm sorry." she said, guiltily, "It's just that… I never knew you to deceive anyone. If you were asked directly, you would answer honestly, or not at all. But now, manipulating people comes so easily to you. It just… makes me wonder…"

A breeze blew through the gaps in the door, causing the torches to flicker. Nagato looked down at Konan, his eyes wide and his voice silent. Konan looked up at him, worried and almost pleading.

"You think that I may be trying to control you?" he asked, though he didn't want to believe that.

"With the way you've been acting, how can I not?" Konan countered, doing her best to keep her voice steady, "The things you've been saying, that you could be Yahiko… if it wasn't that, then what was it?"

Nagato paused with a look of uncertainty on his face. Konan gave him a hard look, refusing to back down. It made him all the more at a loss for what to say. But all the same, he couldn't take his eyes off hers.

"I could be…" he repeated, with both confusion and recollection, "… That was…"

"What was it?" Konan asked, placing her hand on the machine, "Be honest with me."

Nagato's heart tightened when she said that, did she really not trust him? His breath escaped him, and he hung his head.

"If that was what you wanted… then that's what I would have been." he replied, in a small voice. Konan's eyes widened, and her mouth hung open as air escaped her lungs.

"What are you saying?" she asked, "If I told you-"

"If you asked that of me, I would have done it." Nagato replied, looking to his right, "If that's what you wanted… I would have become him."

He waited quietly for Konan's response, though he couldn't bring himself to look at her. He didn't speak, and she didn't know what to say. After several moments, he found he couldn't keep his gaze away any longer, and glanced at her. The dazed look on her face was unreadable, he couldn't tell how she was taking what he had said.

"Nagato… you-" she began, but paused for a sharp breath, "You…"

Nagato wasn't sure if he should frown or look surprised. Never before had he seen her jaw that tight, her teeth clenched or her breathing so rattled. Her body was tense, and her small hands were curled into fists, shaking lightly under the strain.

"You idiot." she breathed, openly glaring at him, "Do you want to make me hate you?!"

Nagato was frozen, completely shell shocked just from the look Konan was giving him. Her words only cut deeper, like he had been struck by lightning.

"Yahiko is gone!" Konan yelled, paying no attention to the slight distance between her and Nagato, "He gave his life for us, don't forget that!"

"Konan-" Nagato began.

"Shut up!" Konan exclaimed, "After saying that, you don't have the right to speak!"

Despite all her training, her breathing was becoming ragged as her heart beat faster and her blood pumped through her body. She could feel the tension rising, and releasing with every angry word she uttered.

"Do you think that acting like Yahiko will make anything better, do you think he would want that?!" Konan demanded, both her hands gripping the machine tight, "Do you think I want you to do that to his memory? Is that what you think of me?!"

She waited for an answer, her eyes centred on Nagato's, showing none of the compassion they usually did. But Nagato was truly at a loss for words, though he doubted he could anyway. Konan looked between each eye, her furrowed brow deepening as the seconds passed by. She eventually realised that he didn't have an answer, and took a step back, though her expression didn't change in the slightest.

"Right now, I hope I was right." she said, in a cold, but confident tone, "Because if you really aren't being affected by something, then I don't think I could stay here anymore."

She turned away and headed to the door without another word. Nagato speechlessly watched her, even after she was gone he kept his eyes on the door. He listened as her footsteps quietened, until they disappeared completely. He remained silent for a while after, his eyes slowly dropping to the floor.

"Perhaps… I have been acting inconsiderately." he muttered.

"Perhaps." Human realm agreed, as he reached out with the sponge. But before it could touch Nagato's skin, Human realm's hand twitched involuntarily, and the sponge fell to the floor. Both Nagato and Human realm looked around at the sponge, watching as water leaked out of it.

* * * * *

Naruto and Jirou walked through the streets of Ame, their hands buried in their pockets and slouching like a pair of thugs. Naruto was wearing his other clothes, and had left Eko behind, to the katana's annoyance. He had also exchanged his headband for his goggles, which were feeling a little strange for not being worn in so long.

They passed through the crowds, stepping over steam vents and taking brief pleasure in the warmth provided. Not for the first time Naruto wondered how it could be so cold here when the surrounding countries were desert, highland and forest. The villagers didn't seem to think such thoughts though, they were more focused on getting where they were going as hastily as possible. In fact, if there was anything conspicuous about Naruto and Jirou, it was that they were the only ones that didn't seem to be in any rush.

Naruto dodged around as people brushed past him, once more detesting his below average height. Jirou didn't seem to have as much of a problem, though he occasionally turned to make room for people to pass.

"So what are we doing?" Naruto asked, narrowly avoiding a brush with a particularly bulky man.

"We're just taking a look around." Jirou replied, "Though I'm gonna have to drop you off with Haruka, where I'm going you can't follow."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, looking up in surprise. Jirou shrugged.

"Cos you won't be able to get into the guard's command post." he replied, "We'll pass Haruka on the way and she'll take care of you."

"When you say it like that, and with her, I get a bad feeling." Naruto muttered, his unease obvious. A one sided smirk grew on Jirou's lips as he chuckled faintly.

"I know she seems a little rough, but deep down she's a sweetheart." he said, "She's just grouchy when she loses sleep, which considering our numbers means she pretty much is always like that."

"_Why say all that other stuff then?"_ Naruto thought, mentally face palming himself.

"If everything works out, and she gets a good nights rest, you'll see what I'm talking about." Jirou said.

"You think so?" Naruto asked, doubtfully.

"Yeah, she's actually sorta timid."

"You don't say."

"You don't say what?"

Naruto jumped, looking back in shock. He wasn't sure how, but Haruka was now walking behind them, her eyes half closed as she looked up at the sky. Jirou glanced over his shoulder, his smirk maintained.

"Just telling the kid about what a charitable person you are." he replied, coolly. Haruka glanced down at him, before returning her gaze to the sky.

"Charitable huh?" she repeated, "That's a new one."

"Yeah well, guess I'll be going." Jirou said, as he began to merge with the crowd.

"Don't strain yourself!" Haruka called, though it was probably a snide remark more than concern, "Come on, we're going this way."

Naruto made a sharp turn as Haruka suddenly changed direction. He pushed through the crowded street to a gap in the buildings, yet another damp alley to walk through. He made sure to keep at least a step behind Haruka, and definitely didn't walk directly behind her. He wasn't sure what Jirou had been trying to say, wasn't it him that got hit in the crotch by this woman?

For the most part Haruka acted as if Naruto wasn't even there, weaving her way around the puddles as the walked through the dim corridor. Water dripped from the gutters overhead, each echoing splash making Naruto's spine shiver. He looked over at Haruka, who seemed to be perfectly comfortable despite the climate.

"How can you go around like that when it's like this?" he asked, as he placed his hands between his armpits.

"I've got Katon nature chakra." Haruka replied, without looking back, "I don't have to worry about the cold."

"Guess you're lucky then." Naruto muttered, as he watched his breath condense in the air.

"Katon is a good style to have for survival skills, but it is probably the easiest to overcome." Haruka replied, "Anyone who uses it needs to take a deep breath first, so their opponent has an opportunity that they won't pass up."

"Really?" Naruto wondered, his brow raised, "I didn't know about that."

"Course you didn't, you think I'd bother telling you if I thought otherwise?"

"Good point."

"Anyway, you're Futon right?" Haruka asked, rhetorically, "That's one of the better ones, since it's fast and versatile. But the problem is that it's hard to direct, and is only good for attacking an enemy in front of you."

"So what can I do about it?" Naruto asked, though he was more curious about why she was telling him these things in the first place.

"After Doton, it's the second stealthiest style." Haruka replied, "Since it's hard to see, and because wind is so versatile it can be used in almost any situation for a surprise attack from any direction. For a beginner, you should probably stick to using it close range to disarm and throw your opponent."

"Ok…" Naruto said, with a raised brow. He waited for more, but it seemed Haruka was done talking, _"She's still pretty strange."_

They came out of the other end of the alleyway, to a slightly emptier street. At the end of the street to the left, a tall wall ran along a border, made of stone and metal. At the top of the wall, a head could be seen bobbing along as someone walked across the wall, probably one of the guards they were looking out for. Haruka glanced around, shielding her eyes from the sunlight, before looking at Naruto.

"You ready?" she asked, once again rhetorically, "Come on."

Naruto nodded, before following her into the street.


	31. Finding the truth

Whew, cutting it close there. I'm glad I finally got around to including THAT, it's been so long I can't help but wonder if anyone recalls. Ah well, in any case I'm glad this chapter's over. I'm unusually exhausted.

Disclaimer: Apparently I look very chibi when I sleep. Is that a good thing?

**

* * *

**

**Finding the truth**

It was quite busy, this inn. Downstairs was full of people, bustling around and buying drinks. That was the way inns usually were here, they were more like bars with plenty of room upstairs. This inn used the large space for storage, they kept supplies rather than guests. It was fortunate, some inns in the village used the space to cater to… _other_ needs.

Naruto and Haruka occupied one of these rooms, standing in the dark as they looked out the window. Wooden barrels and small crates took up the space on either side, but the two of them had room enough to stand comfortably. Haruka was leant against the wall, her arms folded as she followed a patrol down below with her eyes.

"Their movements are too erratic." she muttered, with a creased brow, "They're trying to make their routes seem random, to catch people off guard."

"How are they doing that?" Naruto asked, looking at the same two guards with a similar expression, "Is it a Jutsu?"

"They're not gonna waste their chakra on patrols." Haruka replied, raising her finger to her lips, "But they're not even paying attention. They're just walking around…"

She paused as the patrol passed under an archway, disappearing from sight. Naruto watched them as well, waiting to spot them over the other side. Several seconds passed, and there was no appearance. Haruka lowered her hand, turning so both of them were pressed on the sill as she looked closely.

"Where did they go?" she thought aloud, "They're using underground passages?"

"Does Ame have those?" Naruto asked, glancing up at Haruka.

"Cos of the structure of the village, and the conditions, there are a lot of waterways." Haruka replied, her eyes boring through the masonry as if she could see through to the other side, "Naturally, there's a lot of maintenance required so the pipes don't corrode. That means there's enough room to move around down there."

"So they can just pop up wherever?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, by the look of things they show up wherever and whenever they like." Haruka answered with a nod. She then glanced to the left, down the street the building was in, "But why bother doing it randomly? It gives the enemy too much of an opening, even if it is based on luck."

"Luck?" Naruto repeated, confused, "They just leave it to that?"

Haruka's brow raised, and she looked at Naruto for the first time. She actually studied him for a moment, almost like she only just met him.

"Just leave it… damn it." Haruka cursed, looking out again, "They're using civilians, or at least disguising themselves like that. If they think something's gonna happen, they just show up as a deterrent."

"So what can we do?"

Haruka took several seconds longer to stare at the arch, before turning and heading to the door.

"There's no point in this." she said, "With the festival on, the streets are gonna be almost empty, so the guards are gonna have to resort to other methods at that time."

She opened the door and walked out, heading towards the stairs. Naruto watched her leave, before remembering he was supposed to be following her. He hurried through to the hallway and caught up with her halfway down the stairs. They passed through the bustling bar and left as unnoticed as when they'd come in.

"So what now?" Naruto asked, as they headed down to the right of the street. Haruka glanced down at him casually.

"You wanna grab something to eat?" she asked, putting her hands in her pockets. Naruto blinked in surprise.

"Well, I did miss breakfast." he replied, "But should we be stopping so soon?"

"It's very important that you get your three square." Haruka replied, as they turned to pass under the arch they'd been watching, "Let's go get some food."

"Uh… ok." Naruto replied, before realising where they were, "Hey, should we be going this way?"

"You're right, let's cut through here." Haruka nodded, taking another left into an alleyway. Naruto quickly followed, walking alongside her.

"So what we gonna ha-AVE?!" Naruto yelled, as the back of his head was struck so hard he was sent flying forward. He crashed into a trash can, his goggles saving him from a concussion. He grabbed the back of his throbbing head, looking back and cowering under Haruka, who stood right above him with an evil glare. She crouched down to the ground, grabbing his collar and pulling him close.

"For god sake didn't I _just_ tell you there were spies?!" she exclaimed in a whisper, "How freaking stupid are you?!"

Naruto stared up at the angered woman, his imagination causing him to see things out of fear. Her bared teeth and shrunken pupils made her almost as terrifying as the Kyubi.

"I'm sorry!" he quickly apologised, as sweat poured down his brow, "I'll be more careful!"

Haruka narrowed her eyes, looking deep into his suspiciously. She had a sceptical look on her face, as if she was trying to come to a decision. After a few moments though, she grunted and let go of his collar, letting him drop back to the ground. She walked straight past him, her hands returning to her pockets. Naruto hurriedly got to his feet, making sure to stay a couple of metres back.

"_That Jirou…"_ he thought, with an exasperated look, _"There's no doubt about it… this woman is definitely a Nikusui…"_

"Come on, we might as well actually get something now." Haruka said, looking down a side path in the alley.

"Y… yeah." Naruto shakily replied.

* * * * *

The two of them found a nearby yakisoba bar and took a seat inside. Naruto looked around with a raised brow, this place…

"_Why does it look just like Ichiraku's?"_ he wondered, casting a glance to the kitchen, _"It'd be a weird coinci-"_

"Ah, sorry for the wait."

Naruto stared hard at the person who just appeared from the kitchen, his eyes wide in astonishment. Dark brown hair tied back with a bandana style cloth, big, shining dark eyes and a small, slim figure. There was no doubt about it. This person was almost an exact replica of the waitress from Ichiraku.

Except it was a guy.

"Hi, my name's Ayumu." he said, with a bow, "I'll be your waiter."

"_Ok."_ Naruto thought, with a look of tired exasperation, _"That… that's just weird."_

"We'll just have two regulars." Haruka said, with her chin resting on her hand.

"Ah, that's fine." Ayumu replied, with a smile and bow that exactly matched the person in Naruto's mind. Ayumu then turned, and ducked back into the kitchen.

Naruto, still befuddled by the strange likenesses of this place, cast a glance up to the sign on the wall to his right.

"_Ichikyuui Yakisoba."_ he read, with half closed eyes, _"This is too much."_

"You spacing out there?" Haruka asked, glancing from the corner of her eye. Naruto looked at her, lightly shaking his head.

"Nah, just getting a strange feeling." he replied, "This place is just like a ramen bar back in Konoha."

"A ramen bar?" Haruka repeated, with a cocked brow, "That _is_ a weird coincidence."

Naruto watched as Haruka reached out and picked up a pair of chopsticks. Idly, she broke them apart before putting one between her teeth and chewing on the end of it. Weird habit.

"So what's up with the other guys?" Naruto asked, figuring the empty bar was a safe place to talk. Haruka didn't reply right away, she closed her eyes first for several seconds. Naruto had been beginning to think that she'd fallen asleep, before she opened them again.

"Kohaku's the medic-nin, that's all you really need to know." she said, looking deep into space, "He'll be backing us up, so if he thinks you're in trouble he'll help out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

Naruto stared, partly expecting something more. But it looked like that really was all he was getting to hear, which kind of disappointed him. he looked down at the counter, suddenly at a loss for things to say, or do. Haruka just sat with a distant look in her eye, which actually seemed a little strange.

The light above them faded slowly in and out, staying bright, but rocking back and forth wearily. From somewhere in the kitchen, steam drifted into the air, faintly aromatic smells spreading around with it. The long and constant exhale of filled pots, and the dull mutterings of the outside crowd coasted around Naruto and Haruka's ears, making them feel more than a little drowsy.

"It's pretty calm in here, isn't it?" Haruka muttered, her eyes drooping as she put more weight on her propped elbow.

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, resting his chin on his arms. This was another contrast to Ichiraku Ramen, it didn't have the same busyness that Teuchi and Ayame always possessed.

"Since it's such a closed off village, the population never really changes." Haruka said, with a bored look, "So people do what they can to keep themselves busy. That's why at this time of day it can be so quiet."

"You think that will change?" Naruto asked, joining in on the idle conversation.

"Who knows? If Angel-sama succeeds, she might keep things the way they are. All I know is that Kohaku trusts her, and since he's our leader it's my duty to follow."

"Huh, what do you mean?" Naruto asked, sitting up and looking at Haruka, "Weren't you placed in your team after?"

"Nah, we've been together longer than that." Haruka replied, with the first smile he'd seen her give, "We fought together during the last Great War, and stuck together after that."

"The last Great War?" Naruto repeated, "I don't really know about that."

"Whenever Iwa, Suna and Konoha have a dispute, they usually deck it out right here." Haruka explained, "Since we're in the middle, and fairly desolate, they use this country as their battleground. It's that reason we're in this state. Hanzo came to power because of the wars. Since he's the strongest, the people always turned to him for help."

"What?!" Naruto breathed, staring at Haruka with wide eyes, "Then… does that mean everything that's happening here is because of Konoha?!"

Haruka glanced at him from the corner of her eye, smirking.

"Guess you know why Isamu gave you such a warm welcome now, huh?" she asked, "Just because you lived there, don't think Konoha's different from any other country. They go to war just like the others do. They see a chance to gain power, and they'll take it."

She watched Naruto for his reaction, expecting a little drama. She was surprised then, when he instead dropped his gaze, gripping his hands tight together.

"Back then, I was a student at the Academy there." he said, his jaw tight, "I trained so I could become a Shinobi. It was my dream to become Hokage, and be the leader of that village. But now…"

He sighed loudly, taking his hand and covering his eyes with it.

"Now… I think I'm sick of that village." he muttered, "I'd rather not think of it anymore."

Haruka cocked a brow, lowering her hand from her chin and turning to face Naruto properly. A smile spread across her lips, which soon turned into a grin.

"That so?" she asked, reaching out and patting him on the back, "Welcome to the team then."

Naruto looked away his hand and turned to Haruka, with evident surprise.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

"If you still bought the bull Konoha fed you for years, we'd have a problem." Haruka replied, sitting back and looking at the ceiling, "But for someone who was spoon fed it for years, and is then able to turn on it, that's even better. So welcome to the team."

Naruto held his expression, wondering just how unstable Haruka's personality really was. Hadn't she been calling him an idiot several times so far?

"Uh… thanks." he said, lowering his arm. Haruka's grin widened a little, before looking at the entrance to the kitchen.

"Here we are." Ayumu said, walking in with two steaming plates. He placed them in front of the two, standing back to see their reaction, "Mom's Yakisoba is the best out there."

"Thanks!" Naruto said with a grin, looking down at his plate. Apparently yakisoba was very different from ramen, it felt very strange for him to see noodles on a plate rather than a bowl or cup. But they looked, and smelled, pretty damn good.

Ayumu gave them both a two fingered salute as Naruto reached out for chopsticks, before turning and heading back into the kitchen. Haruka, who already had her chopsticks, was digging in without a moments hesitation. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if her eagerness was out of love for the dish, like he had for ramen, or just that she was starving. If she didn't have much time for sleep, she might not have much time for food either.

"Damn, this _is_ good." she said with a full mouth, "Make sure you give them a good tip as well."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, with his chopsticks halfway to the plate, "Why am I paying?!"

"Don't jerk me around, with your rank you get paid hell of a lot more than I do!" Haruka replied, leering challengingly at Naruto, "And besides, it's because of you we had to come in here anyway!"

"_Should she be complaining?"_ Naruto thought with a nervous grin, as Haruka returned to shoving yakisoba into her mouth, _"And wasn't it her idea to get food in the first place?"_

"Sure, you got a point." was what he said though, deciding against voicing his thoughts. Haruka glanced at him, grunted, and then went on consuming vast portions of noodle, pork and onion without any regard for etiquette. Naruto let out a quiet sigh, before starting on his own meal.

* * * * *

About a half hour later, they were finished and back in the streets. Naruto had been forced to agree with Haruka, yakisoba was pretty good. They'd each taken a second bowl before leaving, Naruto paying generously as instructed. That's not to say he wasn't begrudging however.

"We'll meet up with Isamu, see if he found anything." Haruka said, looking left and right as she decided which way to go, "He's covering the safe house, checking that no one's found it."

"Should you be saying that?" Naruto asked, looking nervously at the crowds.

"It's fine, now that I know there are people in the streets, I can find them." Haruka replied, as she decided to take the right. Naruto kept beside her as they walked, "By the way, when you're talking to Isamu, it's better if you know when to end the conversation. He's not much for talking, and he hates boredom."

"Then why keep him in the safe house?" Naruto asked, looking up at Haruka as they walked, "Wouldn't it be better if he was out here?"

"When you got an unstable bull, do you put him in the street, or somewhere outta the way?"

Naruto raised a brow in surprise, the logic was sound, but was it a good idea to keep someone like that with all the equipment?

They made a left at the end of the street, returning to busy crowds and loud noise. Where the yakisoba bar had been peaceful, this was nothing like it. The air was filled the low rumble of the dozens of footsteps streaming up and down the street, like a mysterious river that flowed in both directions. If only it were that smooth.

"So where is this place?" Naruto asked, as he avoided getting knocked to the ground again. Why were the big guys always walking in the same area he was?!

"Up there." Haruka replied, jerking her head up to the taller buildings up ahead, "He's looking out from above, getting a rough idea of the routes."

"Isn't that what we were doing?"

"No, we were checking the thoroughness of the guards. Isamu's watching how and where they move, so he can find the limits for us to work around. Come on, we'll cut through here and take to the roof."

She pushed past the crowd and stepped into an alley on her right. As soon as Naruto was with her, they both leapt up the walls and began their ascent to the roof. It didn't take them long to reach it, but from there Haruka decided to take it slow. She pointed a little off to Naruto's left. There was a couple of guards stationed there with their backs to each other. Naruto looked back to Haruka, who gestured for him to follow her. She shimmied along the wall, until they reached the fire escape. Lowering themselves onto it, they peeked inside the windows on either side to make sure no one was there. Confirming that they were unnoticed, Haruka lifted herself again as she looked across the roof for cover. She glanced over her shoulder and jerked her head, Naruto following close as she climbed carefully up to the roof, before pressing her back against an air con unit nearby.

"Why are we being so cautious?" Naruto asked, looking up at her, "They're not even looking our way."

"General rule of Ame guards is that if you can see one, there's two hiding." Haruka explained, eying the guards from the side of the grey machine, "Those two are decoys, which is why they're so visible."

Naruto watched Haruka as she closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. After several seconds of silence, she opened them again, though her brow remained creased.

"From this position, we should just be out of their line of sight." she said, as she bent her knees slightly, "So just stay low and follow my lead."

Naruto nodded, a wasted effort since she wasn't even looking at him. She paused for a few seconds more, before running past the units, using only the balls of her feet to minimize noise. Naruto was close behind, and they soon got off that rooftop to one with more suitable cover, several stories of it.

"Ok, we'll just climb from here." Haruka said, pointing up slightly to her right, "That's the one, Isamu will be waiting for us up there."

"Got it."

"Then lets go."

* * * * *

The tall dark trees allowed no sunlight, preferring to bask in the shadows made by their own bodies. Their giant boughs stretched through the thick air, leaves and moss giving everything a filthy look. Sounds of wildlife echoed through the forest, animals of the likes often unseen caused them. Though the trees were immense, the emptiness was vast. It wasn't difficult to lose yourself in this place.

A fresh sound filled the air. It was like a drum roll, but thicker and a little wet. It didn't belong in this place, it was much too vigorous to come from here. But it still existed, and like every other sound it's source was unknown, the noise reverberated and lost its origin.

A faint flicker flew through the trees, a small burst of blue almost lost in the darkness. What it was was unclear, the speed in which it moved was indeed impressive.

The blue streak wasn't alone, close behind was a dash of red, heading in the same direction. That red flash seemed to have a second colour, a blur of beige next to it. The blue streak shifted slightly, and a pale face looked back at the red and beige.

"How is she?" the streak asked, with a creased brow. It had a male voice, like a teenage boy.

"She's not doing too good!" replied the red dash, with a young girl's voice. She had fair skin as well, though not quite so as the blue streak.

"I- I'm fine!" the beige blur stammered, her quiet voice almost unheard.

"No way, you're too hurt!" the red dash scolded, her green eyes looking at other girl.

The blue streak came to a sudden stop, whipping around and glaring past the two girls. His raven hair hung slightly over his dark eyes, his headband dull in the dark. He bore several cuts to his light skin, and a bruise was forming on his left eye. The red dash came to a stop when she saw the boy's face, uncertainty clear on her face.

"Sasuke-kun?" the girl asked, looking through her long pink hair. The girl next to her looked up, her pale eyes flickering as she fought to stay conscious. Sasuke looked at this dark haired girl, before turning to the other.

"Sakura, get Hinata out of here." he ordered, as he looked past them again, "I'll take care of him."

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked uncertainly.

"Yeah." Sasuke replied, as he raised the kunai in both his hands, "Now MOVE!"

"Hai!" Sakura cried, running past Sasuke. She held on tight to Hinata, the two of them disappearing into the wilderness.

Sasuke glanced after them for just a moment, before looking ahead once more. He narrowed his eyes, the irises faintly changing to red. The sound of footsteps died away as Sakura made distance, and Sasuke was left in the deadly silence. He couldn't even hear the wild life, he blocked those sounds out.

However, he did hear one thing. A thud, that rang out through the trees. He watched through the shadows, as a figure slowly stood, leisurely an d in no rush. Sasuke bared his teeth at their pursuer, who didn't seem to react in the slightest.

"What is it that you want, if not our scroll?" Sasuke demanded, watching every little movement made. Though it was very unclear, he watched as that figures lips spread slowly into a one sided smirk.

"What I want is none of your concern." the person replied, in a boy's voice, "My desires exist outside your need to know."

"Is that right?" Sasuke arrogantly asked, gripping his kunai tighter, "Then I guess there's no point talking!"

With that, he reached back and threw both his kunai, before dashing at his opponent at his highest speed. The boy in front of him stood immobile as the kunai neared him, but his eyes slowly opened. Sasuke narrowed his own as he squinted through the piercing light that suddenly shone from that person's face. He raised his arms defensively, shielding his eyes from the burning pain.

"You cannot hope to escape."


	32. Last chance at innocence

Argh, I really wish I could get back to my update every two days streak, this is way too inconvenient. Still, I don't have to worry about stalling for time, though I have decided to extend this arc further, since the timescale would have left me with an empty month before the next arc. I'll need to put some thought into this, there' so much that can be done in this war. Guess we'll see how it goes.

Disclaimer: You know, out of all the filler arcs that we've seen, this Utakata one is actually one I'm looking forward to. After Gaara and the Rikudo, he's my third favourite Jinchuriki.

* * *

**Last chance at innocence**

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, sighing loudly. He stood in the hallway, just outside his room, preparing to go inside. It was pretty quiet, though that was to be expected at this time of night. Judging by the fact the window was open when he arrived, Gaara was probably out again. Once again he had failed to show up for the team's meeting, that put a lot of pressure on the older Shinobi as they couldn't make strategies properly. Since that was Haruka's primary job, she was the most annoyed, and she wasn't afraid to let the others know. For that reason, Naruto was quite stressed, and looked forward to just getting to his bed. He reached out and gripped the door handle, opening it and stepping in.

"Damn, if I'd known you were gonna be gone all day I'd have asked you to drop me off at that weapons shop."

"Sorry." Naruto replied, closing his door, "I didn't think it would take so long. Guess you've been pretty bored."

"Well, I've not been lonely."

Naruto frowned, looking at Ekokaeten questioningly. It was then that he heard the faint clattering from his kitchen, and sighed once again. He stepped around his bed, and opened the door.

Rika looked back, her brow raised in surprise. She held the plastic cover from a cup of ramen between her teeth, as she stood on the tips of her toes with her arm outstretched to his cupboard. Naruto quickly averted his gaze as he saw her thin shirt rise up her back, hoping his cheeks weren't reddening. Those tight shorts weren't helping either.

"You know Rika-chan, sometimes I feel like I'm the one who's coming in uninvited." Naruto muttered, with a tired expression.

"Dun bhm mh ih oo dun luh yu duh." Rika mumbled, the plastic cover twitching with each syllable.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, squinting. Rika took the cover out her mouth, flicking her hand pointedly at him.

"Don't blame me if you don't lock your door." she repeated, with a blank expression.

"I would if I _had_ a lock." Naruto replied, closing the door and rubbing his neck again, "Besides, is that really an excuse?"

Rika shrugged, dropping the cover in the bin underneath the counter. She then picked up the kettle and poured boiling water into the ramen cup next to it.

"So what are you teaching me today?" she asked, as she leant against he counter with the cup in her hand. She lazily stirred it with the chopsticks, looking Naruto in the eye.

"So I'm teaching you today huh?" Naruto muttered, leaning against the door, "I don't think you've ever called me by my name, even though you want me to be your sensei?"

Rika blinked in surprise, as if taken aback by what he said.

"Your name?" she repeated, glancing around, "There's no one else here, why would I need to specify who I'm talking to?"

Naruto faltered for a moment, his brow creasing at Rika suspiciously.

"You forgot it, didn't you?" he asked, with narrow eyes.

"Of course I didn't!" Rika exclaimed, with an overly affronted look.

"Uh…huh." Naruto said, with dry scepticism.

Rika quickly averted her gaze, placing the cup back on the counter and stirring rapidly.

"Besides, it's not like you know anything about me!" she protested, though her shoulders were hunched with nervousness.

"Well, I know you're surname is Sakai, and that you've got a twin sister, Yuka-chan." Naruto replied, checking off on his fingers, "You're dad, Kohaku-san, works here, and he doesn't want you to become a Kunoichi. That's four."

"What?! Well...!" Rika stammered, turning around again with a shifty expression, "Who asked you to check up on my life story anyway?!"

Naruto stared pointedly at Rika, who seemed to be getting more flustered under his scrutiny. It eventually came to the point where she stepped forward, glaring at him.

"Look, are you gonna teach me something or not?!" she demanded, in as strong a tone as she could manage. It was then that a sly smile spread across Naruto's lips, a look Rika _really_ didn't like.

"Why should I?" he asked, stepping forward confidently. He looked at Rika with both a cool, yet cunning expression, which really made her nervous, "What's… in it… for me?"

Rika pressed her palms against the counter, leaning back as she began to lightly sweat. Naruto was very close, and that look was _very_ creepy.

"W-what do you want?" she asked worriedly, disliking the situation very much.

"What I want?" Naruto repeated, his lips parting to reveal a full toothed grin, "What I want is-"

He came to an abrupt stop as he was suddenly hit with a realisation. He couldn't ask that of her. Not that he didn't want to, even now he was tempted to go ahead with it. But he couldn't, it was impossible. Tomorrow, and for who knew how long, Amegakure was going to turn into a battlefield. And he was going to be one of the many foot soldiers, an arrow in a quiver.

Rika jumped in fright as Naruto's hand fell onto her shoulder, gripping it tight as he hung his head despairingly.

"Just… don't do anything reckless…" he said, almost shaking with depression, "Go to the festival tomorrow… and have fun."

Rika's expression slowly changed, turning from one of terror, to one of complete incredulousness. She was still vary wary, maybe even more so after Naruto's sudden change in mood. She wasn't sure just what was going on right now.

"The festival?" she repeated, with arched brows, "What are you talking about?!"

"Go with Yuuka-chan, and just take tomorrow off from al this training, ok?" Naruto asked, as he felt his body becoming heavier. Rika stared down at him, before looking away, batting his hand off.

"I was gonna go anyway." she said, "And Yuuka will be there too. Is that really all you were gonna ask?"

Naruto's face twitched as once more he had to resist asking what he wanted to, and in the end just nodded pathetically. Rika's expression changed again, a small smirk and a triumphant look in exchange for her shock.

"All right then, I'll do it!" she announced, pointing straight at Naruto, "So now you have to train me!"

Naruto sighed, his shoulders slumping further. He was pretty sure this had been a bad day, this was the deciding factor.

"_Well, at least I'll have that."_ he thought, _"A bit of alone time… it's better than nothing."_

"Sure." he replied, raising his head, "But I'm not up for much tonight, I've got a busy day tomorrow. So we'll just do something small scale, huh?"

"Huh, fine!" Rika muttered, folding her arms in annoyance, "Like what?"

"Well…" Naruto replied, rubbing his neck once more.

"You hurt it or something?" Rika asked, frowning at his neck.

"Uh, yeah." Naruto replied, recalling the crick he received narrowly dodging a kunai. It turned out that Haruka hadn't been exaggerating when she said Isamu couldn't stand boredom. And apparently he liked "smart-ass Konoha runts" even less.

"Let me see it." Rika said, stepping around and reaching out to his neck.

Naruto's eyes widened as he felt her fingers against his neck. He couldn't help but blush a little at her touch, his earlier bravado had been about all the confidence he could muster. But now, under such a casual action like what Rika had just done, the façade crashed, and he was left pretty vulnerable.

"_Is she going to?"_ he thought, as her fingers pressed lightly against his skin.

"Guess you can't teach me anything worthwhile like that." she sighed, letting go and grabbing "her" ramen. Then without so much as a passing glance, she left into Naruto's room to eat on his bed, oblivious to his exasperated expression.

"_I see… I guess she really is that kind of person."_ he thought, following her with tired eyes, _"She's really nothing like her sister._

* * * * *

The wind blew cold, creating a sharp whistle as it passed the alcove. Rain cast lightly across the tower, as faint as it had ever been, despite the heavy clouds looming overhead. Very little light was on offer, it was almost complete darkness out there. For that reason, the torches were lit, as they rarely were. That unfamiliar flames burned contemptuously, clearly displeased at their infrequent use. In their state, they barely noticed the shadows, which edged surreptitiously, bearing upon the artificial light with outstretched arms.

In amidst the shadow and light, Pein and Konan stood, neither able to look at the other. Pein kept his eyes on the rain, while Konan kept hers on the alcove. They had both been silent for a while now, not even saying anything when Konan first entered the room. Both were waiting for the other to break the silence. In this case, it seemed Konan would once again have to take initiative.

"Everyone's ready." she said, her low voice slightly obscured by the rain, "They'll wait for your signal."

"That's fine." Pein replied, turning his head only slightly, not even enough to see the room they stood in, "And what of Naruto-san?"

"He's been working with team Kohaku on their scouting mission." Konan said, "They have their plan, but with Gaara-san not attending…"

"Gaara-san will do what he likes." Pein replied, "He assists us only because the mission is of interest to him. That is simply his nature."

Konan didn't have anything to say to that, she knew it was the case.

"The moment Hanzo finds out he is under attack, his guard will increase many times over." Pein continued, "Are your Shikigami ready?"

"Almost." Konan replied, "They are just getting used to their bodies now."

"Good, they are our diversion after all." Pein said, turning and leaning against the arch, with Konan to his right, "Our attack will be instantaneous. Like lightning as the catalyst for a wildfire."

"You are using Animal realm then?" Konan asked, gripping her left arm with her right.

"I'll use all of them." Pein replied, expressionlessly, "Hanzo took on all three of the Sannin in their prime, I doubt he's gotten weaker since then."

Konan glanced at Pein, wondering if she would maybe spot some reaction in his eyes, some sign of sadness, remorse, even nostalgia. But there was nothing, his eyes were both hard and cold.

"I see." she said, taking a step back, "Then you should rest. I know an attack like that will tire you out."

She turned away, and headed for the door. It had been hard not to think about their conflict from before, even harder not to bring it up. For all she had said, she hated being like this. But she couldn't falter, she knew that all too well. She reached out, and pushed the door open to leave.

"Konan."

Konan stopped, looking back with a raised brow. For the first time since she arrived, he looked at her. She returned his gaze, staring as deeply into his eyes as he did to hers. At this time, she realised that both the hardness, and the cold that had inhabited them were gone. But what they were replaced with, she didn't know.

"Yes?" she asked, uncertainty plain on her face. Pein continued to look at her, his eyes fixed in place.

"Should my actions become… unaccording." he said, choosing his words carefully, "I'd prefer it if you told me at the time in a calm manner, rather than bottling it up and yelling later. That would be more useful, and less disruptive."

If she hadn't been standing in place, Konan felt that she would most likely have tripped over right there and then. Never, _ever_, had she expected him to come out with _that_. To say it was a shock would be understatement, at the very least. And it was because of that shock, that she failed to hold back the small smile that appeared on her face.

"Ok." she said, with a nod. Pein returned it, before breaking eye contact and looking back outside. Konan stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her. As she made her way to the staircase, a look of understanding dawned upon her, though her smile was maintained. That look, and those words… was he asking her for help?

* * * * *

Naruto looked at himself in the mirror of his dressing table. As per the plan, his equipment had been taken to the safe house ahead of schedule. But to avoid the situation from before, he kept Eko with him, in place on his back. With his forehead protector in with his equipment, he stood with his fringe hanging slightly over his eyes. But the thin strands of blond didn't hide the look in his eyes, the strong determination contradicting the cool blue irises. The sunlight shone across his face, casting across his smooth skin.

Not for the first time he wondered if he was ready for this. This was something he had never experienced before, a real war on a real battlefield. Well, to say that would be inaccurate, since he had never experienced war otherwise. Just the thought made him nervous, this was going to be the most difficult thing he had ever done.

"What's the hold up?!"

Naruto's eyes went out of focus a little, looking through the back of his reflection's head to the hilt of the complaining blade. Unlike Naruto, Eko could hardly wait for the fighting to start. It was understandable, after all, this was what the blade lived for. But all the same, Naruto couldn't help but feel Eko's enthusiasm was in bad taste.

"People might die here." he said, trying to get the katana to see things a little more clearly.

"Yeah, and it's your job to make sure no one you know gets hurt. This is what war's about, this is where you have to be tough."

Naruto sighed, sometimes Eko just couldn't help but miss the point. He turned to the door and walked out of his apartment, closing it for who knew how long. He turned and headed to the window on the left, opening it and dropping out.

He slid down the pipes that made up the wall, his chakra keeping him attached, and making sure he didn't descend too quickly. He looked out to the village below, a lot had changed during the night. The clear skies gave him a good view of the bright colours as stalls filled the streets. Though for such a closed off village, Naruto couldn't help but wonder just what was being sold their that attracted such attention.

Even from this height, he could clearly hear the sounds of excited chatter and even some music as people paraded the streets, celebrating an event Naruto had no idea about. Shrill whistles and joyful yells filled the cool air, just wondering what they were so cheery about was enough to make Naruto smile, though more out of confusion than anything else.

Water splashed all around as he landed in a puddle, scattering droplets all around. He stepped out towards the street, where the crowds were at their thickest. The noise was tremendous, the sounds the people were making completely masked the villages true state, it was like the sort of thing he hadn't even seen in Konoha.

He made his way through the crowd, as fast as the crawling current would let him. He was glad he chose to leave early, he was going to need all the time he'd been given. People were heading in every direction, eager to get to the stalls. Naruto peeked through the masses, his curiosity growing even stronger. He was surprised at what he saw.

"It's ninja that are running the stalls?"

"Yeah, it looks like it." Naruto replied, as he studied the Shinobi and Kunoichi closely.

They weren't in uniform, but because of the things they were doing, it was obvious they weren't just civilians. To put it plainly, they were using their Jutsu as a means to create sculptures, toys, lots of things. It came as a surprise to Naruto, he had never seen a ninja participate in such communal activities like that. He looked at them all, they seemed to be having a good time of it, both the ninja and the civilians. It was good to watch, maybe even a little heart warming.

"Looks like everyone's having a good time." he said, with a smile.

"Yeah, lotta fun. Can we get moving now?"

Naruto shook his head, Eko really didn't know how to enjoy a peaceful environment. But if that was just the way he was, then there wasn't anything to it. Still, Naruto couldn't help but wonder.

"_They all look fine."_ he thought, looking around, _"Even though they know who these people must be, they're still able to have fun around them… are they really that loose-minded?"_

As he made further progress, the crowd slowly began to thin out. Though it lasted for a couple of streets, he eventually found himself walking through empty road. The cold paths and sleeping homes lay all around Naruto, ignoring his presence completely. It was like he had stepped out of the world of the living, and now walked somewhere else. Eerie, that was the word for this place.

He sighed, part of him wanted to turn back and head to the festival. He had kind of hoped to bump into Rika and Yuuka, just for the sake of seeing them together. But poor luck kept them out of sight, he hadn't caught any signs of them. Well, if that was the way it had to be, then that was the way it had to be.

* * * * *

It took him roughly ten minutes to arrive, tapping lightly on the window as he waited for entry. Jirou was the one to respond, sliding the window open to let him in.

"Last one here." Jirou said, stepping aside as Naruto dropped in.

The safe house looked just like a watchtower, but it was really just a small attic to a tall but thin building. Dust and crates took up the floor of the room, just like the basement of the tower. Sunlight broke through the windows, revealing the falling dust and cobwebs that told of how little use actually came to this place. However, the situation had very much changed, the room was timid, leaving team Kohaku to occupy it silently.

Each member of the team had found a crate to sit upon. Jirou was stationed next to window, while Kohaku was settled opposite it. Haruka rested her head on the wall to the left, and Isamu sat with his elbows on his knees, twiddling his thumbs on the right. And to the corner, between Kohaku and Haruka, sat Gaara, arms folded and eyes closed.

Naruto stood in the middle of the group, glancing uncertainly at Gaara, who ignored his gaze. He turned his view to Kohaku, who was sitting back, a distant look in his eyes. After taking a look around, Naruto noticed that Isamu and Jirou both bore the same look, as if their minds were somewhere else. And he had a feeling that if Haruka's eyes were open, he'd see the same thing.

"When it comes to battle, it's best to spend these last moments remembering." Kohaku said, answering the unasked question, "Because there's no room for those thoughts in the middle of war."

Naruto's brow rose as he listened to Kohaku's words. They were easy to understand, even if they were hard to relate to.

"Oh, ok." he replied, finding a crate between Haruka and Jirou to sit on. Kohaku looked at him, without moving an inch. He seemed to focus on Naruto for just a couple of moments, before casting his eyes back out the window, and zoning out once more.

Naruto leant forward, looking around everyone in the room. The older ninja were definitely deep in thought, but one look at Gaara told him that he wasn't the only one focusing on the here and now. Even though his eyes were closed, there was a certain liveliness in him that none of the others possessed.

Naruto glanced to his right as he suddenly felt something tap his arm. Jirou was leaning towards him, his outstretched arm just inches away from Naruto's.

"Keep an eye out for the signal would ya?" he asked, straightening back up, "It'll come over to the north west."

"Sure thing." Naruto replied, shifting so he could see out the window. Jirou nodded appreciatively, before bowing his head and gripping his hands and bowing his head close to his lap. Naruto couldn't help but feel taken aback at that action, it almost looked like he was praying.

"Hey, you wanna do what they're doing? I'll watch the window."

Naruto lightly shook his head, the most response he could offer considering the company he had. In truth, he didn't have anything he wanted to recall. Every memory just brought guilty feelings, feelings he didn't want to face right now. And so he looked out the window, wondering just when the signal would come.


	33. Just like rain

WOO! TWO DAY RELEASE! I DID IT!!! YEAH!!! Ok, enough of that. Just glad that I managed an early release again, I was worried I was heading on a downwards spiral. Well, here it is. The start of the war is officially here, after much waiting. I don't really have much experience writing these kinds of fights, I'm more used to one on one. But I guess I'll learn, I've got plenty of time to do it.

Disclaimer: You know, even I'm beggining t wonder just what's going on with Naruto in canon. I'm getting a little bored with Sasuke now, though I'm not about to flame him. He's just not the kind of character you give this much attention to.

* * *

**Just like rain**

The drapes were closed, their thin golden skins allowing only shadows to be seen silhouetted by the light outside. All was silent; there were no unwanted disturbances to speak of. He lounged on his large crimson cushion, quietly taking his breakfast as the guards stood around him, none looking his way. For any normal person, this breakfast would have seemed beyond extravagant. Several steaming silver pots and bowls sat on the tray before him, their vapours filling the air with intoxicating aromas. However, the scents were wasted on him; he had long since lost his sense of smell. It also seemed that he was lacking in etiquette, as he picked up the bowls at random, either spooning or tipping the contents into his mouth.

He was grateful at least to still have his sense of taste. But it was a bitter gratitude, as he seldom paid much attention to the flavours that slipped over his tongue and down his throat. He was much too busy keeping his more valuable senses alert, as years of battle had forced into habitual response. He listened to every breath of his guards, waiting for the moment one of them may grow restless. He looked out for any movements, lest someone grow curious.

Needless to say, he was very tired. Even sleep was a commodity he seldom indulged in, and the meal before him had not gone untested by his… attendants. The two young girls sat on either side of him, their hands placed flat upon their laps as they knelt. Both of them wore skin tight white zentai, their entire forms completely visible. Only their heads and hands were free of the material, their long brown hair was tied back with bands, not even a pin was allowed on their persons. And neither, under _any_ circumstance, were allowed to look up.

They both were pale skinned girls, kept well enough to keep the risk of illness at bay, but in such a condition that even the slightest trace of poison would instil a quick reaction. Just as this man was bitterly glad of his taste, these two were bitterly glad of their lives. There was at least one mercy they were both granted. This man never once indulged in _them_. Though that was more out of caution than compassion.

The man lowered his bowl and raised his head, his long blond hair resting back on his shoulders. He looked ahead with dark eyes, the corneas blackened from years of soot and smoke that had come along with his training. His pale gold irises seemed encased in the darkness of both the cornea and pupil, like a halo in the shadows. The scar on his cheek itched; it was enough to put him on edge.

He watched closely as a knock was heard on the door in front of him. Three of the four guards that watched his front moved forward, crouching down by the door with one on either side and one in front. They each ran through a small series of identical hand signs, before placing their flat palms on the seals on the floor in front of them. The seals lit up with a faint burgundy aura, before thin lines of chakra connected the two on either side with the one in front. Those lines then rose from the ground, and with it, created a semi-transparent barrier around the entrance to the room. Satisfied it was complete, the man spoke.

"Enter." came his strong, but dry order. It was immediately obeyed, as the door opened and another guard stepped through, stopping in the middle of the barrier.

"Hanzo-sama, there are a group of children downstairs." the guard said, with slight uncertainty, "They are requesting an audience with you."

Hanzo rested his arm on his knee, leaning forward slightly as he frowned at the guard before him.

"A group of children?" he repeated, looking the guard in the eye, "You mean to say they are unattended?"

"That appears to be the case." the guard confirmed.

Hanzo raised his other hand to his chin, clearly in deep thought of this news.

"Unattended children that choose to come here to see me, while there is a festival in progress." he muttered, his frown deepening, "Have them detained and searched. Use utmost caution."

"Hai!" the guard replied, with a quick salute. Then, with a quick bow, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. When the sound of his footsteps had died away, and the three guards returned to their positions, Hanzo lowered his hand. For several moments, he did nothing, as he mulled over some thoughts that were coursing through his mind. Once that had passed, he pushed himself to his feet, before glancing behind him. The guard who watched his back, whose arms and legs were restrained by chains, nodded in understanding.

* * * * *

Naruto kept his gaze out the window, watching for any signs of the signal telling them to begin. He made sure he kept his full attention, as he already realised this signal would be discreet. They were to be a distraction, after all.

Nothing much had changed in the half hour Naruto had been here. Kohaku and the others were still spacing out, though Isamu looked like he was ready to snap. Gaara maintained his stance through the entire time, not opening his eyes once or even fidgeting. But compared to the others, it was clear to anyone who looked that rather than reminiscing, he was waiting.

Kohaku blinked a couple of times, before straightening up and looking around.

"Guess we better get ready then." he said, planting his hands on his knees and pushing himself up. Isamu quickly followed, while Haruka and Jirou were a little calmer about it.

Kohaku stepped aside, allowing Isamu to open the crate he'd been using as a seat. Haruka opened her one, and reached inside.

"Hey." she said, tossing a bundle to Naruto, who caught it.

"Thanks." he replied, as he opened the bundle, which turned out to be his cloak. Inside it were his headband, pouch and weapons holster. He quickly put each of them on, his pouch, holster and then his cloak. Then, as he was tying his headband, he remembered to look up at the window, "Huh?"

Outside, over the village, clouds were gathering. But for some reason, they all seemed to be heading in the same direction, surrounding and closing in on one of the taller buildings in the village. Those clouds quickly darkened, and rain suddenly began blasting out of them, striking the building. But everywhere else in the village, it was clear.

"Uh… I think we just got the signal." Naruto said, keeping his eyes fixed. In an instant, Jirou was by his side, looking out at the clouds as well.

"Yeah, that's it." he confirmed, with a nod.

"Get a move on people, it's time to get started!" Kohaku called, as he reached into the crate Isamu had opened. Naruto watched him as he pulled out a strange piece of equipment.

It was a gauntlet, like the arm of a suit of armour. The metal sat in a way that made the whole thing seem serrated, similar to a pine cone. Amidst the shining steel was a design of emerald green, lying just under each layer of metal. The hand followed the same pattern, the green underlying material appearing between steel. Underneath the gauntlet, there was what appeared to be two long, half cylinders leading up to the wrist. That cylinder had a small box which was placed halfway along the forearm, opposite the hand. On the end of each cylinder, there were two small holes, as if something was supposed to come out of them. Overall, it was the kind of tool Naruto had never seen before.

"Hey, you two head out." Haruka said, looking at both Naruto and Gaara, "Just go down and wait, we'll be with you in a minute."

Naruto nodded, and Gaara rose, both of them heading towards the window. Naruto opened it and dropped out, hearing Gaara following him. The two of them landed on the lower rooftop, taking their place near the edge. Gaara took a look around, eying the silent street watchfully. There were no signs of the guards, the area seemed empty.

"They're hiding." Gaara muttered, scanning the windows of the buildings.

"What?!" Naruto quietly exclaimed, looking at Gaara in shock.

"DUCK!!!"

Naruto rolled out of the way, just as a volley of kunai flew from one of the buildings. Gaara hadn't moved an inch; the sand had defended him like it always did. Naruto remained low, and peeked just over the edge. It was a waste however, as it seemed the enemy no longer had an interest in hiding. They leapt from their positions, out of open windows and doorways, shadows flitting through the air and landing all around. Naruto hurriedly pushed himself to his feet, turning to the Shinobi that now surrounded Gaara and himself.

There were four of them, each looking coldly and wielding kunai. They dressed in tattered black cloaks, though flak vests could be seen clearly underneath. Their faces seemed to match their dress; they looked ragged, but fully alert. They watched Naruto and Gaara carefully, not even taking the risk of underestimating the two of them.

"This doesn't look good, there's too many of them."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed. He glanced to his right, to signal Gaara, "Wha?!"

He looked all over the rooftop, but for some reason, Gaara was nowhere to be seen. He cast his eyes back, and spotted the red haired boy down in the street, walking past him. Naruto almost called out to him, but he heard the sound of movement and was forced to turn his head.

"_Damn it!"_ he thought, grabbing Eko's hilt. The four Shinobi had ignored Gaara, and where now all at once attacking him!

He whipped the blade out of its sheath and held it ready for combat. The first Shinobi reached him, making a simple slash for his throat. But Naruto responded by raising the blade, so the hilt was raised high and the tip pointed low. He blocked the kunai, sending small sparks scattering from the point of impact. He wasn't given time to counter however, as the other Shinobi lunged for him with slashing kunai.

_Fwt-fwt-fwt-fwt-fwt-fwt!_

"GUAH!!!" cried each Shinobi, twitching involuntarily as if they'd been struck from behind. Naruto's eyes widened, but he didn't waste this opportunity on shock. He let go of Eko, letting the blade fall to the ground as he clasped his hands.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, sending a shockwave of wind bursting from his palms. At point blank range, the Shinobi were struck hard and sent flying, all of them landing on their backs.

"GRAW!!!" they cried, their eyes widening in agony. This time, Naruto was actually stunned as he saw blood trickle from each of their mouths, and pool beneath their backs.

"How did that happen?" he thought aloud, before he noticed a shadow on the ground. Looking up, he watched as Kohaku and the others fell from the window, and landed neatly on the ground. They were all in uniform, except for Isamu.

"Not a bad throw." Haruka noted, looking down at the guards with a smirk, "Looks like the senbon went straight through."

"Looks like I wasted the good ones." Kohaku muttered, before letting out a sigh, "Good work Naruto-san, but we need to get a move on."

"Are they dead?" Naruto asked, still in shock.

"Those senbon must have severed their spinal cords." Isamu replied, kicking one of guards legs, "Damn, I can't believe it's this runt who takes the lead."

"Did I?" Naruto asked, his eyes fixed on the bodies on the ground.

"No you didn't." Kohaku answered, walking towards Naruto, "You didn't have the intent, so you didn't do it."

Naruto glanced up at Kohaku, strangely relieved by his words. He looked around at the others, and finally realised that they were different from before. They each seemed to be wearing pieces of armour, just like Kohaku. In fact, they looked like they all came from the same set.

Haruka wore the other gauntlet on her right arm, contrasting Kohaku wearing the left. Where his had had green underlying material, her was a deep blue. And in place of the strange mechanism, there was another, more dangerous looking one. It seemed to be a larger box, running straight across the forearm. Though the purpose of the box was unclear, there wasn't much to guess at when looking at the pair of curved blades on either side of it. It was definitely a lethal looking weapon.

Isamu was suited in the greaves, a heavy looking item with very sharp looking edges. His had red material decorating it, but unlike the other two, it didn't seem to have any other unique feature. For some reason, the greaves and his headband were all that he wore, he hadn't donned a shirt or flak vest, his bare chest and back were clear to see.

Jirou wore the final piece of armour, a strange looking helm, with silver and gold metal reaching upwards to a point. The helm completely covered his face, with even his eyes covered in what appeared to be a yellow visor, tinted so that no one could see in. Like with Isamu, its purpose was very unclear.

"Hey, quit ogling." Isamu said, crossing his arms with a frown, "Where's the other guy?"

"Oh, he's-" Naruto began, staring to jerk his thumb back.

"Sabaku Soso!" he heard Gaara cry. It was soon followed by a grinding sound, and for some reason, Naruto was hit with something wet. His eyes widened, as he felt the warm something run slowly down his cheek. He raised his hand and touched it, looking at the red water between his fingers in shock.

Kohaku and the others rushed to his side, looking down into the street in shock. Naruto turned around too, casting his stunned eyes down into the sight below.

Sand. There was sand everywhere. It filled the street, like the desert itself was invading. And there was blood, cast all over the sand and walls as if by a grotesque tornado. Gaara stood, in the middle of the fermenting chaos, his own shield keeping him from being doused in the remains of his kills.

"That's too much sand, no way was he keeping all that in his gourd."

Naruto had to agree, the amount ridiculously exceeded Gaara's capacity, it was impossible for him to have had that for all this time.

"_How did he-"_ Naruto thought, looking around.

"Look at that." Haruka muttered, crouching down. She pointed out to a particular spot in the street, where the sand scattered in every direction, "There's six of them. He took out six opponents?!"

"I think the more important question is _why_ there were six opponents." Kohaku corrected, glancing back, "Counting the four over there, that's ten Shinobi, all of whom were lying in wait. What does that mean?"

"They were expecting an attack?" Jirou offered, scanning the buildings, "It doesn't take a genius to work out that this time is the best for an attack."

"You may be right." Haruka agreed, preparing to drop down into the street, "But we should be careful anyway, they may be more aware than that."

"Let's separate." Kohaku said, looking between his team, "Each of us will cover a street. Jirou and Naruto-san will provide backup."

"Man, can't believe a brat like that took the lead." Isamu muttered, before taking a leap across to the rooftops on the other side, "The runt might not have had the intent, but this guy definitely did."

"You keep an eye on Isamu and Gaara-san, I'll watch those two." Jirou said, as Kohaku and Haruka headed in the opposite direction of Isamu. "My style can leave me open to attack."

"Right!" Naruto replied, taking this as the time to leave. He crouched down to retrieved Eko, before replacing him in his sheath and taking a running jump over to the rooftop between Isamu and Gaara, while Jirou joined the other two.

"Wait a minute, we just get to watch those two?! The hell with that, let's get in there!"

Naruto ignored Eko's demand, looking down at the two sides closely. For the suddenness of those first two attacks, things had become strangely quiet. Did that mean the enemy was already taken care of?

"_Wait a minute, weren't we supposed to-"_ Naruto thought, when a shrill sound suddenly filled the air. He quickly turned his gaze up, watching as a flare exploded in the sky, _"There it is."_

"Heh heh heh, now we're talking."

As if on cue, the sound of footsteps came into notice, it seemed people were moving in from every direction. In no time, several teams of ninja appeared from in the streets, rooftops and even the buildings. From what Naruto could see, there were three teams, amassing to a total of twelve Shinobi, a team for each of them.

"_Damn it, isn't that overkill?!"_ Naruto thought, as the team seeking him moved in. Each of them were masked, but they clearly weren't ANBU. In place of porcelain animal faces, they had roughly carved wood disguising them, leaving only their eyes and mouths revealed. Naruto acted fast, he didn't want to give them the upper hand.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, summoning three clones to his side.

Neither side wasted any time; Naruto barely had time to redraw Eko before he was using him to stave of an attack from a tanto. The other clones were the same, they were quickly locked in battle. The clones and their opponents split off, leaving just Naruto and person in front of him.

"_This guy's strong!"_ Naruto thought, as he felt himself being pushed back. But he wasn't going to let that continue, he quickly began channelling Futon chakra into Eko.

"There isn't enough force to just break it, you'll need to strike."

Naruto gave a small nod, showing he understood. The trouble was, with the amount of force his opponent was putting in, loosening up for even a moment would result in a possibly fatal slash. Therefore, he only had one choice. Lowering his stance, he crouched a little lower, tensing the muscles in his legs. Then, at the highest speed he could manage, he leapt back, the tip of the tanto barely missing his leg.

He spun around, taking a short run up the building behind him. Thinking he was headed for the roof, the enemy followed him. But to his surprise, Naruto bounded off the wall at him, his katana held back. The guard barely had time to defend as Naruto darted past, swiping at him with Eko's tip. But blade struck blade, and no blood was shed. Naruto didn't relent though, and turned around to deal a second attack. The guard was strong, but he was fast, and in the end, an opponent you can't hit, is an opponent you can't beat.

"Slash at him!"

Naruto did as Eko commanded, turning around and dragging the blade through the air. He felt Eko building up the chakra, and watched as he released it, firing out an arc of wind straight at the guard. It whistled through the air, visible only by the way it unsettled the air around it, causing a slight haze that gave it shape. The guard saw this and leapt over it, running to his right. He placed his tanto back in his sheath, and began pulling out shuriken.

"Let me take over. And give me more of that chakra."

Naruto complied, loosing himself to Eko's control. The blade didn't waste any time taking over as the guard hurled his stars, making Naruto's arm raise so the tip was pointing down to his left. The first shuriken struck the blade, recoiling harmlessly. After that though, Eko moved Naruto's arm so the katana flickered in a flurry, deflecting every projectile easily. Once they were all gone, Eko finished his move with a hard swing, and released an attack even Naruto hadn't noticed. A web of wind, formed from the blocking movements was shot at the enemy, large, but very thin. Because of that, the enemy didn't notice it until the last moment, and rolled out of the way. It wasn't quick enough however, as his left arm and leg were struck.

"GRAH!" he cried in agony, as dozens of blades struck his skin, slicing it open and spraying blood. The cuts weren't deep enough to sever his limbs, but they forced him to the ground, he couldn't maintain his balance.

"Got him!"

"Good one!" Naruto grinned, as he took control back. He glanced around out the corner of his eye, the clones were still deep in battle. It was understandable, since they couldn't rely on Eko's abilities like he could. He returned his gaze to the fallen Shinobi, and was suddenly struck with the thought that he may have to kill this person.

"HA!" the guard cried, throwing a kunai with an explosive tag at Naruto.

"_Shit!" _Naruto thought, as he rolled out of the way. Unfortunately, he chose a bad direction to roll, and as a result he fell off the rooftop onto the street below.

_Thud._

"Ow." Naruto muttered, pushing himself up. Luckily the sand had softened his fall, so he hadn't gained any injuries from the stupid mistake. He heard the explosion, but it was nowhere near him, he was ok.

He got back to his feet, looking around for any signs of the enemy. But there was nothing, even Gaara was gone.

"Where did he-?" Naruto wondered, looking around. He glanced down at the sand, and realised in shock that there were large damp patches. Did that mean one of the opponents was a Suiton type?!

Naruto hurriedly looked around, trying to see where Gaara had disappeared to. He spotted a trail of water along one of the taller buildings, and cast his gaze further up. It seemed to head straight up to the roof, was Gaara fighting up there?!

"_Right, he went where there wasn't any water!"_ Naruto thought, with a nod. But he still decided to head up there, he knew from experience that skilled Suiton users didn't need a water supply.

He ran towards the building, continuously looking around for enemies. None of the Kage Bunshin had dispersed yet, so he had that one relief. It was soon lost however, when he heard a sound like a wave crashing overhead. He snapped his head upwards, just as water flooded over the edge, down towards him. And amidst that wave, plummeting to the ground, was-

"GAARA!!!" Naruto yelled.


	34. Into the fire

Yes! I'm back! Looks like I can manage the two-day update again, many of you will be glad to hear. Though I think my speed otherwise doesn't exactly leave you waiting impatiently... does it? Heh, the god of twists is at it again... what a crummy name to fuel my complex. Ah well, you know the deal!

Disclaimer: GARH! WHEN WILL WE SEE UTAKATA????!!!!!!!

* * *

**Into the fire**

"State your name and business." ordered the guard, looking down at the person across the table from him.

In the dark shadows of that small room, the face of the child sitting down was for the most part obscured. The only thing that could be made out was the moss green karate shirt, though judging by the form, it seemed like it was worn by a small girl.

"Where are we?" the child asked, with a voice that confirmed it was a girl, "Is Hanzo-san coming?"

"That's undecided." the equally obscured guard replied, with folded arms, "Until it is decided you're not a threat, you won't be leaving here alive."

"Oh, that's a mean thing to say!" the girl cried, "What if my mommy gets worried?"

"Who is your mother?" the guard asked, ignoring the tone of her voice.

The girl paused, fidgeting slightly as she thought over what he just asked.

"Well… mommy is… mommy!" she declared, as if such a thing were obvious. The guard sighed, resting his arms on the table.

"Enough with the ruse, it's obvious you aren't a child." he said, "If it's a Henge, you might as well drop it."

"Huh, Henge?" the girl repeated, cocking her head to the right, "Sorry, I don't know what that is."

"You don't know what a Henge is?" the guard asked, with a frown, "Then what are you?"

"What am I?"

The guard ignored her question, as his had simply been a spoken thought. He leant back in his seat, studying the girl closely.

"Sate your name and business." he ordered again, deciding to start from the beginning.

"I'm Kamiko!" the girl replied, in a chipper tone, "I'm here because mommy told me!"

"What did your mother tell you?"

"She told me to go find Hanzo-san!" Kamiko answered happily, "She also said that if people took me away, I should talk to them!"

"About what?"

"Anything!"

"Is that so?" the guard asked, with a tone of interest, "Then tell me, where is your mother now?"

Kamiko paused again, cocking her head in the other direction this time. She didn't seem hesitant, more like she was confused, or she was trying to remember.

"Uh… mommy is…" she said, slowly. Then, brightly, she pointed upwards, "There!"

The guard looked up, his frown deepening as he realised what she meant. He returned his gaze to Kamiko, who seemed as cheery as ever.

"Why is she-" he began.

"Hey, are you confused?" Kamiko asked, with a questioning expression. The guard blinked, surprised by the interruption.

"I am." he replied, studying Kamiko's face closely.

"Really? That's great!" Kamiko announced, "Mommy's gonna be so happy!"

"Wait, you mean-" the guard began, as he tried to rise to his feet. But when he felt resistance, he froze. Slowly turning his gaze down, he stared at his legs. They were enveloped on dozens of sheets of paper, like a white cocoon. He looked back up at the girl, who seemed as elated as ever.

"Mommy says I was supposed to do this next!" she said.

The guard's face turned to terror as the girl's began to split, separating into several pieces. Her skin seemed to become discoloured, as did her clothes. In moments, she turned from a young, innocent looking girl into an uncountable amount of paper, which seemed to blow towards the guard despite lack of wind. The guard immediately made for his weapons pouch, but he realised too late that it was out of his reach, beneath the paper. He scrabbled at white coat which steadily engulfed him, he knew no Jutsu that would free him from these clutches.

"Damn it, let go of me!" he roared, as he clawed at the paper. But he was ignored. Soon, his chest too was covered, and still it rose, leaving him like a fly trapped by a spider.

He fell off his chair, and began crawling towards the door to seek help. But in no time his shoulders too were encased, leaving him with very little room for movement.

"HEY!!!" he yelled, in a vain attempt to reach someone outside the soundproofed room, "SOMEBODY!!! GET IN HERE!!!"

But no one came, as the paper rose up his collar, no one heard his cries. As his neck was covered, no one came to help. He was alone, the paper passing his mouth and crawling up his face. In just few seconds more, he was completely mummified, and unable to move.

_Shklt!!!_

Blood burst through the paper, spurting in every direction like a horrific firework, casting its crimson stars across the walls and ceiling. The guard hadn't even cried out, he hadn't the time. There was no doubt, he was definitely dead.

Slowly, the paper began to unfurl, curling as if it had been ignited. It rolled off the indistinguishable corpse, the rivers of his veins sliced, the water of his blood flooding over. There was barely any sign that he had ever been human.

The paper all rolled to the same place, somehow unaffected by the pool beneath it. The scrunched up balls then began piling on top of each other, climbing over its brethren as it reached higher and higher. Then, eventually, it reached the rough height of a young child, where it came to stop. Steadily the paper began to unfurl, the outer pieces hiding the inner as sheets overlapped each other, until it looked like the paper had trapped a second person. But this time, instead of slicing its victim from the inside, the paper tightened, taking an even more detailed form of the child it was modelling to be.

Colour began fading back in, like dye. The moss green was the most prominent, spreading across the torso of the child. The next most noticeable was the pink skin, and then the blue hair. A paper rose grew from one of the scrunched balls still on her head, and a small bun formed in her hair. Her eyes turned to a shade of amber, and her eyelids became deep blue. She looked down at the former guard, her expression rather passive, or perhaps just bored. But then she seemed to suddenly realise something, she raised her head and looked at the door.

"Coming!" she said, with a bright smile, before running out of the room.

* * * * *

"GAARA!!!" Naruto yelled. He quickly thrusted Ekokaeten back into his sheath, before bolting up the wall of the building as the red haired boy fell from above. He shielded his eyes as the water from the enemies attack fell over him, but didn't dare close them for fear of losing sight.

His feet pounded against the concrete as he ascended as fast as he could manage. The space between him and Gaara was closing faster and faster, he needed to act now. Pressing down on the wall, he timed carefully, before pushing himself off. He flew through the air, impacting with Gaara and grabbing him. They both dropped, Naruto spinning so Gaara wouldn't get hurt.

They landed on the opposite rooftop, Naruto's sandals skidding across the granite as they slowed to a stop. Naruto lowered Gaara onto the ground, the sodden Shinobi was barely conscious.

"D-damn it." Gaara cursed, wincing as he tried pushing himself to his feet.

"Stay down." Naruto ordered, pressing his hand against Gaara's shoulder.

"Don't get in my way!" Gaara snarled, brushing Naruto's hand away. He made to move up, but Naruto persisted, pushing back down.

"You can't fight a guy who can use water!" he exclaimed, "I'll take care of him, you get more sand from down there!"

Before Gaara could argue, Naruto was gone, leaping back to the wall of the building he'd been running up and resuming his path to the roof. Up above, the Shinobi who had thrown Gaara aside with his Jutsu looked over the edge, spotting Naruto below. He didn't waste any time in pulling out his shuriken and throwing them down at Naruto, the small stars moving seemingly faster because of both gravity and Naruto's ascension.

In an instant, Eko was in his hand again, shielding him from one of the shuriken, while the rest passed by harmlessly. But the enemy wasn't willing to concede yet, he quickly formed his hand signs as he prepared his Jutsu.

"Suiton: Takitsubo no Jutsu!" he called, slamming his hands onto the roof.

Naruto gaped as from nowhere, a massive wave of water crashed over the edge of the rooftop, plunging down towards him in a torrent. There was no time to think, only to act. He let go of Eko's hilt, grabbing instead to trailing piece of fabric on the end of it. He reached back, before swinging forward, the tip of the blade flying straight upwards. Naruto then clasped his hands, channelling his chakra.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he cried, thrusting forward as a fierce gust of wind pounded from his palms. Both Eko and the wave were struck, first the blade was propelled upwards, and the water split off to either side. Naruto didn't see what happened to Eko, he disappeared before the wave completely subsided.

Naruto reached the rooftop, and leapt straight up in case the enemy was lying in wait. But he was met with no attack, and landed safely. But what he saw, truly shocked him.

Eko lay, not on the ground, but on the guard's chest. His tip had run right through the man's skull, piercing through to the other side. Blood poured from both ends, becoming diluted in the flowing water of the broken pipes the guard had most likely used for his Jutsu.

"Arghhhh this is so freaking gross!!!"

Naruto blinked, coming back to reality. He stepped forward and grabbed Eko's hilt, slowly pulling him out of the deceases guard's head. The sickening sound of metal grinding against bone rang dully as he withdrew the red stained blade, making Naruto's stomach quiver uneasily. Once Eko was out, he took a quick step back from the body, he didn't really like being anywhere near it.

"Man… never do that again."

"Yeah, sorry." Naruto replied, before crouching down. The water pouring out of the pipes created a small stream about an inch tall. Naruto used it to wash the blood from Eko's body.

"Man, I'm telling you, you better get me some proper-"

"Yeah yeah I promise." Naruto muttered, straightening up. He kept the blade in his hand as he turned around and dropped off the edge of the building, sliding down with his palm pressed against the wall.

It only took him a few seconds to descend, landing quietly on the wet sand. To his right, Gaara was crouched on the ground, his hands digging into the sand as he poured chakra into it. Slowly, the sand crawled behind him and reformed his gourd, growing larger still. Naruto headed over to him, wary of how the red haired boy would react to his interruption.

"You took care of that one?" Gaara asked, without looking up.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, trying to sound confident. He kept his eyes on Gaara, waiting for his reaction.

"That's fine." Gaara said, taking Naruto by surprise, "I finished yours off."

Naruto blinked, looking up to the rooftop he had been on when he was first surrounded. Did that mean he killed that crippled guy?

The thought soon passed, because it was right then that he was alerted of his Kage Bunshins dispersal, they had all been taken out.

"We got company." Naruto muttered, locking on to the rooftop as he waited. Gaara looked up, at the same spot Naruto was.

"They are your prey." he stated, "I will not interfere, unless you wish it."

"Really?" Naruto asked, shocked by the courtesy. He got over it soon however, as the enemy appeared on the roof, "Well… I'm not sure I can take these three on my own."

"I understand." Gaara said, as the guard dropped down below, "Then do as you please."

"I'm fighting!" Naruto responded, gripping Eko and running at the guards. Gaara followed him with his eyes, his expression a blank one.

"Very well then." he muttered, as sand rose out of his gourd.

Naruto reached the first guard and slashed out with Eko, but he was blocked almost immediately with a kunai. He didn't stop though, and in fact used the momentum to spin around, striking at the guard behind him. It was difficult, but he could already see that even with his Futon chakra, he would need something else. He took one of his hands off of Eko and grabbed a kunai from his weapons holster.

"_Man, I'm glad Kisame-sensei isn't here to see this!"_ he thought, as he raised the kunai to block the first guards counterattack, _"He'd kill me!"_

Caught in a deadlock between the first and second guards, he was slowly losing the battle for place as they pushed with both their hands while he used only one for each. He looked over his shoulder, thankfully the third guard wasn't attacking him; he was deep in combat with Gaara.

"Man, you really are a novice!"

"What do you want me to do?!" Naruto demanded, as his arms got pushed back further.

"How the hell should I know?!"

Naruto grunted as he started feeling pain in his shoulder blades, it was too difficult to maintain this. He looked between the two guards, they seemed just aware of his position as he was, and were choosing to make this painfully slow.

"Damn it!" Naruto growled.

Just then, to his shock, the guard on his right released one of his hands from his kunai and reached out.

"_Shit!" _Naruto thought in a panic. Even one handed, the guard was still strong enough to hold him off. He heard the other guard chuckle cruelly as he watched what was about to happen. The second guard grabbed the back of Naruto's neck… and pushed him out of the way.

"_What?!" _Naruto thought, whipping around. He managed to set his eyes on the guards just in time to see the second stick is kunai in the first's stomach.

"GRAH!!!" the guard gurgled, as blood dripped past his lips. The second guard thrusted further, and the first groaned in pain, before dropping to the ground. Naruto stared at the second guard with wide eyes, too stunned to speak. That guard turned to look at him, smirking.

"Yo, you alright kid?" he asked, giving a two fingered salute.

"Uh… yeah." Naruto replied, still in shock, "Who are you?"

"You know you guys are the farthest behind right?" the guard asked, "Even Kohaku's got the lead on you!"

"Huh?"

"Huh?" Naruto emulated, with a squinting eye. The guard just chuckled, before leaping overhead to the rooftop and disappearing. Naruto followed him with his eyes, listening until the sound of his footsteps died away.

"Who the hell was that guy?!"

"No idea." Naruto replied, before the sounds of grunts reminded him that someone else was fighting. He dropped his gaze to Gaara, who had a wall of sand between him and the last guard. It was the guard who was making the noise, Gaara was the same as ever, standing straight with folded arms. But then he stretched out his hand, his fingers partially clenched.

The sand fell upon the guard, who cried out in shock, unable to dodge in time. He fell to the ground, where he was covered by a blanket of the beige dust. Gaara tightened his grip on the air further, and the sand seemed to do so as well.

"Sabaku Kyu!" he called, clenching his hand completely into a fist. The guard didn't even have time to cry out as he was crushed by the sand, and soon lay dead.

Naruto walked towards Gaara, who was returning the sand to his gourd. He tried his best not to look at this corpse, if it could even be called that.

"This comes really easy to you, doesn't it?" he asked, looking straight at Gaara.

"Life has made it this way." Gaara replied, turning to face Naruto, "But these enemies are pitiful, they are nowhere near the strength to be called guards."

"I guess you got a point there." Naruto admitted, looking around with a frown, "But why would they send people like this?"

"Most likely whatever it is that they're guarding is of less value than we thought." Gaara replied, looking over his shoulder, "That, or they anticipated our attack."

"Do you think that's likely?" Naruto asked, with a frown. Gaara didn't answer right away, he kept his eyes fixed on the place behind him.

"I wonder how things are going at that festival?" he said, thinking aloud.

"Eh?" Naruto exhaled, as a large drop of sweat appeared on his brow. Gaara looked back at him, as expressionless as ever.

"We should move." he said, "That guard said we were lagging behind."

"Uh- right!" Naruto agreed, nodding determinedly, "I'll go see how far Isamu-san is."

"Fine." Gaara replied, as he began walking down the street. Naruto ran straight ahead and hopped up to the roof, looking over to the other side.

"Eh?" he exhaled again, his head lowering a couple of inches.

Throughout the street, there lay many guards, all of them on the ground with absolutely no signs of consciousness, if they were alive that is. It looked as if they'd been caught in a stampede, they were splayed out like they'd been struck by a herd of bulls. Naruto followed the trail of destruction down the street, until he finally spotted Isamu at the end.

"_There he is!" _Naruto thought, realising that the shirtless man was in no need of assistance. He was taking on three guards in hand to hand combat, and showing no signs that he was making any effort. In fact… it looked like he was having _fun_.

"Yeah, let's not get involved."

Naruto had to agree, Isamu was in his zone, it was best not to disturb him. He turned around and dropped back down in the street, quickly catching up with Gaara.

"Well?" Gaara asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"He's at the end of the street." Naruto replied, his half closed eyes showing his own quiet bewilderment, he doesn't need any help."

Gaara turned his head to the front again, not revealing his thoughts on that news. Naruto doubted he was pleased by it though.

* * * * *

Hanzo had not moved since his tray had been taken away. He had waited in anticipation for the guards report on the children. He had spent the past half four thinking over the countless possibilities in his mind, each more believable than the last. In the end, it only served to make his blood boil, and his fists clench. He had sent his attendants away, he didn't need them as a distraction.

He listened closely for any signs of someone approaching, he watched his back closely, since it was left unguarded. He heard nothing though, it seemed like there wasn't anyone coming or going. At times like these he never really knew what he should think.

After letting out a heavy sigh, he pushed himself to his feet. He turned to his left and stepped out from the veil, past the guards and through the doors to the balcony. He lent on the cream railing just outside, looking out to the village below. Protected from the heavy rain by the overhead awning, he watched the festival from a distance. It struck him as odd that the festivities continued despite the dreadful weather, it was unusual to keep such things going under these circumstances. But he didn't pay it much thought, it was too far away to mean anything to him.

"Hanzo-sama!"

Hanzo turned around, frowning as he walked back into his chamber. It was one of the guards by the door that called out to him, but his eyes were fixed on the door. The other guards were also watching the door, bewildered looks on their faces.

Through the thin paper door, where the silhouettes of five small children.

"The barrier!" Hanzo ordered, throwing his arm out in a commanding manner.

"Hai!" the three front guards replied, quickly taking their places in front of the door.

Hanzo watched as one of the silhouettes raised their hands to the door, the guards were still forming hand seals. Slowly, the child pulled the door aside, a green karate top and blue hair becoming visible. The guards slammed their palms on the seals, and the barrier sprung to life, the burgundy wall quickly rising.

The smiles on the five, identical girls faces slid when they realised their way had been blocked. They all looked huffily at Hanzo, their feet bloody from the pools they stepped in on their way up here.

"Hey, let us in!" one of the girls complained.

"Mommy said we had to find Hanzo-san!" said another.

"We don't want to disappoint mommy!"

Hanzo looked at the five girls in alarm. There was no doubt that this was a Jutsu, how often did five identical children exist?

Suddenly, one of the girls pointed out past Hanzo, a look of pure joy on her face.

"There's mommy!" she announced, soon followed by the excited calls of the other girls.

"Hi mommy!"

"We found him!"  
"He won't let us in!"

Hanzo slowly turned around, his eyes steadily widening as he looked out through his balcony.

There, just past the railing, was a woman floating in the air, her black cloak billowing in the surrounding storm. Large white wings spread out from behind her, lightly swishing through the rain with no regards to gravity or the necessities of maintaining such height.

She stepped in as Hanzo stepped back, landing neatly into the room. With her eyes still locked on his, she gave an involuntary flap of her wings.

"HN!"

"GRAH!!!"

"ARGH!!!"

Each of his guards cried out in pain as shuriken of paper sliced their throats, gurgling as their life water spilled down their clothes. Hanzo didn't remove his eyes from the woman however, his look of fear turning to anger. He growled, before reaching into the folds of his Venetian red robes and pulling out a tanto. He lashed out with it, but the woman simply flapped her wings again. They struck Hanzo's body and pushed him far back, pinning him to the wall with his arms bound apart. The woman slowly stepped forward, the young girls joining her as the barrier disappeared.

"Who the hell are you?!" Hanzo snarled, struggling with all his might. The woman stepped forward, staring coldly at him through her sodden blue hair.

"It is you who will answer my questions." the woman replied, venom dripping from her voice, "Why did you-"

"Enough Konan."

Hanzo whipped his head to the right, his wide eyes locking on another stranger to enter the room. It was a pale skinned man, with spiky orange hair and a wrinkled face. He had many black piercings, including long spikes running through his ears. And his eyes, a cold grey with several black concentric circles around the pupil.

"Who are you?!" Hanzo demanded, "What are you doing in my home?!"

"My name is Pein." the Naraka realm replied, stepping closer to Hanzo. The girls standing around Konan huddled closer to her, looking up at Pein with wary curiosity, "As for my reason, I am here to rid this village of Sanshouo no Hanzo. But first, you will answer my questions."

Konan released Hanzo, but only for Pein to grab him by the throat. Hanzo grabbed Pein's hand, his grip was very tight.

"Now…" Pein said, as Hanzo's eyes rose to something behind him, "Where is Sanshouo no Hanzo?"


	35. Blessed retribution

Wow, I was a little worried I was gonna be a victim of irony after all the excitement from last time. Luckily I managed to get this done again within two days. And now I'll have to make a start to my psychology coursework that's due in tomorrow. Yeah, I got MY priorities in order. 600 words - translate = piece o' piss. I think I might be pushing it with the rating a little, let me know if you think the content reaches past the age rating I've given. Don't wanna get in trouble with the sight, if that's how it works.

Disclaimer: Why the hell did I only get three reviews for that last chapter?! And before that I only got two! C'mon, this is good stuff right?... God I'm pathetic.

* * *

**Blessed retribution**

It was dark, and cold. The bare room held no warmth in, it left through the floorboards and gaps in the doors. The light was weak, it seemed to condense in the air and evaporate back out, providing the room with very little. Outside, the roaring of the festival was incredible. But in here, it was only faint echoes, barely audible over the sound of a respirator, someone taking deep breaths.

In the lonely room, Sanshouo no Hanzo leant against the wall by the window, casting his eyes out far to the left. He watched as the place he called home took on a tremendous storm that seemed to affect nowhere else. He had a look of interest in his dark eyes, surveying the work with an impressed look.

"I see…" he muttered, thinking aloud. Behind him, someone knocked in the door, "Come."

The door opened, and one of Hanzo's soldiers stepped in. he gave a salute to his leader, which was ignored as Hanzo kept his eyes in the clouds.

"Sir, your office is under attack!" the guard announced, in a loud and clear voice.

"I can see that." Hanzo replied, letting his annoyance be known, "Is everything ready?"

"Yes sir, we're waiting for your signal!"

"Good." Hanzo said, as he noticed storm clouds gathering here as well, "It appears our decoy is no longer effective."

Outside, the celebrating civilians began to look up, watching the clouds warily. In a sudden burst, rain fell upon them without any further warning. Many people cried out in shock, scurrying from the streets as fast as they could. In the space of a minute, the bustling block turned into a desolate district, with very few remaining. The Shinobi acting as stall keepers looked to each other in confusion; even for Ame this storm was too sudden.

The door to one of the empty houses burst open, the guard who'd reported to Hanzo burst out with a glare on his sweating face.

"GET READY!" he yelled, alerting all the Shinobi in the area. They had all been informed that they'd be silently infiltrating, so this sort of signal was very worrying.

They complied though, those who had been working in the stalls vaulted over into the street, while those disguised as civilians stripped of their unnecessary clothing. It came to their even greater shock when Hanzo himself stepped out of the house, hands gripped behind his back as he strode forward with his eyes fixed upon the tower. He scanned the pipes that made the structure, looking up even to the grotesque masks that ran around it. It was there that he spotted the barest of movements, confirming his thoughts.

"TAKE BATTLE POSITIONS!!!" he roared, his voice carrying even through the rain.

His orders were immediately met as the Shinobi readied themselves, gathering around the tower before them. They kept their eyes above, hands ready to grab kunai or form seals. All they were waiting for was the order.

Hanzo stood silently as the rain pounded down on him, his respirator turning his breaths into powerful hisses. He waited soundlessly as he watched for the correct moment, when the enemy would reveal themselves.

His eyes narrowed.

"NOW!!!" he bellowed, throwing his hands forward.

* * * * *

Naruto and Gaara finally caught up with the others, who were currently catching their breath at the junction where the streets met. Kohaku was checking on his team, making sure there were no injuries. At the moment, he was inspecting Isamu's back. They all looked up as the two young boys neared them.

"How you two holding up?" Kohaku asked, pausing from his work to study the two, "Anything broken?"

"Nah, we're fine." Naruto replied, with a shrug, "How are things going on this end?"

"Ha! The runt's asking _us_ if _we're_ ok!" Isamu chuckled cynically.

"I wouldn't mock them, they were holding their own pretty well back there." Jirou commented, with a smirk, "You didn't do a bad job."

"Huh? When did you…" Naruto muttered, leaving his question trailing. He shook his head, clearing it of unnecessary thoughts, "What do we do now?"

"Those enemies were too weak." Haruka said, straightening up from the wall she'd been leaning on, "And they were waiting for us. Something isn't right here."

"Yeah, and then there's _that_." Isamu added, pointing past Naruto and Gaara, "We didn't hear anything on what we should do if _that_ happens."

Naruto and Gaara both looked over their shoulders, the former's eyes widening while the latter just folded his arms. Back on the other side of the village, there was a huge storm cloud raining down on the tower, while everywhere but the other building was clear.

"That's not good." Kohaku said, "If it's raining there, then that means the festival will be cancelled. The civilians will be making their way back."

"What's wrong with that?" Naruto asked, looking at Kohaku questioningly.

"Idiot." Isamu grunted, "How do you think they'll react when they see streets filled with dead Shinobi?!"

"Oh." Naruto muttered, seeing Isamu's point.

"It can't be helped." Kohaku sighed, stepping away from Isamu, "We're going to have to seal the bodies quick. We can't afford to have a panic."

"Right, let's get on with it then." Isamu agreed, glancing at Jirou as he passed, "You got some scrolls?"

"Yeah, you just get the bodies." Jirou replied.

"Man, what a pain!" Haruka complained, as she headed away too.

"Make sure to clear up that sand as well." Kohaku said to Naruto and Gaara, "But gather the bodies first, Jirou will get rid of them."

It didn't sound like a particularly pleasant task, but Naruto knew it needed to be done. What he didn't know though, was how Gaara would take such menial labour. For that reason, when Kohaku left, he turned to him.

"If you don't wanna deal with the bodies, I can handle it." he offered.

"And by "you" you mean a couple dozen Kage Bunshin, don't you?"

Gaara studied Naruto for a moment, regarding him with no signs of a purpose. It made Naruto feel uncertain, but he didn't want to make that obvious.

"I don't need your help." he said, turning and heading back into the street he had been passing through. Naruto blinked, before following him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest you couldn't." he said, "It was just in case you didn't want to."

Gaara either ignored Naruto, or just didn't reply. Whatever the case, any hope for conversation died quickly.

They stepped back into the former battlefield, if it could be called that, and Naruto surveyed his work with mixed feelings. He didn't exactly like that there were so many bodies, but at the same time he kept recalling how they came at him. He couldn't help but feel relieved that he no longer had that worry. He glanced over at Gaara, who looked around with narrow eyes. He seemed to look almost dissatisfied, like he had been expecting more.

"These guys were weaker after all." Naruto muttered, clear enough for Gaara to hear, but quiet enough for it not to seem directed at him.

"They weren't even worth the effort." Gaara replied, "This isn't a war, it's a pass time."

"Eh, that's a little cold." Naruto said, forgetting who he was talking to for a moment.

Gaara sighed, before the cork on his gourd popped out and sand began to flow out of it. Naruto watched with a slight frown as Gaara spread the sand over to two of the bodies closest to him. He then raised his outstretched hand, and the bodies lifted into the air. He dropped them into a pile in the middle of the street, before moving onto the next lot.

"Wow… you seem really experienced at this." Naruto said, with a dazed look.

"When you live in the desert, there are certain measures one must take." Gaara replied, as he dropped a couple more bodies on the pile, "Leaving corpses to rot in the heat can cause sickness, so proper disposal is needed."

"Well… yeah." Naruto muttered, not really sure how to reply. He had certainly never been taught _that_ in the academy, "I guess so."

"Come on idiot, you got work to do!"

"Uh, right!" Naruto agreed, forming the crosses hand seal, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Gaara glanced over his shoulder as seven Naruto's appeared from nowhere, looking uneasily at the original.

"Do we have to?" one of them asked, with an exasperated look.

"Shut up!" Naruto exclaimed, bewilderedly, "I'm the guy that's got to live with it!"

"Yeah, but you'll only _remember_ what it's like." another clone interjected, "That's not as bad."

"Well… just get on with it!" Naruto yelled, his face becoming flustered.

"Yeah yeah, don't split your wig." one of the clones muttered, making his way away.

"Or your pants." snickered another. All the clones came to a stop with a distant look in their eyes, Naruto as well.

"Aaaa-AAARGGGH!!!" they all groaned, gripping their heads in despair as they recalled a particularly bad day.

* * * * *

"_Hm, so this is how he chooses to resist?"_ Pein's Animal realm mused, from his perch high above, _"Very well then, it looks like I shall be needing discretion."_

He raised both his arms, the wind blowing his sleeves back to reveal his flat palms. He clasped them together, in front of his face.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he called, planting his hands on the floor in front of him. From around his hands appeared a black seal, which was suddenly obscured by a large amount of smoke. The gust from the storm soon ridded the smoke, revealing the only slightly disoriented summon.

"It never gets easy." Konan muttered, pressing her palm to her face as she looked down at Pein, "What's going on?"

"It would seem that Hanzo is bolder than we thought." Pein replied, looking up at her with a smirk, "It looks like I will have to leave this to you, at least for now."

"You can't use your other summons?" Konan asked, frowning.

"I will save that for later, if it becomes necessary." Pein replied, straightening up, "Asura will cover you. Go."

"Yes." Konan nodded, turning and dropping off the tower.

Pein watched as she disappeared, while Asura realm stepped forward with an outstretched arm. The hand on that arm seemed to move strangely, as if his forearm were stretching out. Then, with a snap, several small cylinder shapes split out from his detached arm. With a widening smirk, the missiles ignited, firing out of his arm and down below.

The missiles scattered as they descended to the ground, forming a line to bombard the Shinobi on the ground. Hanzo's forces had difficulty seeing them in the rain, and so barely managed to spot them in time. It wasn't quick enough though, the missiles struck the ground and exploded, scattering debris and less pleasant things all over the area. The thick cloud of smoke billowed and settled in the rain, leaving Hanzo standing unharmed, he hadn't been targeted.

He watched as Konan's wings spread and slowly beat in the air, keeping her steady as she looked down at him. He returned her cold gaze with narrow eyes, he wasn't one to forget a face like that.

"So it is as I thought." Hanzo said in a clear voice, "Your group really did plan on overthrowing me."

"Our actions are a result of your crimes." Konan replied, in an equally clear tone, "You will face justice for what you have done."

"Is that so?" Hanzo asked, as the doors of the buildings behind him opened up, "As leader of this village, it is I who decides what justice is. I am the highest power in this country!"

"You are wrong!" Konan shot back, her wings beating harder, "There is a word spoken from a power much higher than yours!"

"Lies!" Hanzo spat, as more Shinobi stood behind him, "Who then possesses such power? That boy?"

"This is the end of you, Sanshouo no Hanzo." Konan said, calming down, "This is god's will."

With one powerful thrust, she beat her wings forward and sent a wave of paper blades flying straight for Hanzo and his forces. The warlord had no fear in his eyes though, he responded with a quick series of hand signs before holding his thumb and forefinger to his mouth.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" he called, letting out a large exhale that erupted into a tremendous ball of fire. The infernal sphere was of such a size and intensity that even the rain evaporated on contact, turning into steam that rose up into the sky. Konan's paper kunai were instantly incinerated, leaving Hanzo and his forces unharmed. Konan, on the other hand, was forced to descend in order to avoid being struck by the burning globe.

The Shinobi on Hanzo's side took this opportunity to charge at her, kunai at the ready. Konan ground her teeth in anger as she was forced to land, preparing to send more paper kunai to the enemy bearing down on her.

Suddenly, the air in front of Konan rippled, the rain struck nothing and scattered away. But something appeared from that nothing, the towering form of Asura, who was cloak less and adorned the other two faces, both stoic and angered. Hanzo's forces came to a sudden stop at this abnormal looking newcomer, with three faces and six arms.

"Pein, what are you-" Konan began, her expression of shock.

"There is no choice, I cannot stop the rain lest the civilians return." Pein explained, without looking back, "But your paper is getting too wet."

Konan looked over at her wings. He was right, they were sodden.

"But still-"

"Don't worry, I intend to deal only with his forces." Pein interrupted again, "_Deva _realm shall deal with Hanzo."

"ATTACK!" Hanzo ordered, throwing his arm around commandingly.

"Join Deva realm, he is with my real body." Pein said, as he lowered his stance, "Isn't that the most preferable way to deal justice?"

Konan hesitated, but after a moment she nodded.

"Ok." she replied, getting to her feet and hurrying into the tower. Pein's smile widened a little as he heard her leave, and saw the enemy forces approaching.

"Well then…" he said, as a long and thin metal blade snaked up from behind him, "Allow me to show you pain!"

He didn't wait for the guards to reach him, he lowered his stance further and pressed his two lowest hands on the ground. Then, with a strong burst of chakra at his feet, he fired himself straight into the enemy. The serrated tail whipped around seemingly of its own accord as it struck the enemy ninja, slashing them in a whirlwind of blade. Blood sprayed from the wounds and many ninja fell as Pein threw his fists around, pulling off combinations of attacks that were impossible to any normal human being. Bones shattered and blood spurted as he whipped around, smashing and carving all enemies in proximity. Those who were at a distance became demoralised by the terrifying lack of effort Pein was exerting; he hadn't stopped smiling for an instant. None dared to come closer as his dance of death left many bodies strewn around him.

"Incompetent fools!" Hanzo growled, as he slammed his palms onto the ground.

Asura looked down as the ground beneath his feet tore apart, exploding tags burst from below and wrapped themselves around his legs, like snakes constricting their pray. Hanzo then reached up again and raised his hand in a seal, igniting the tags.

_THROOM!_

The tags detonated all at the same moment, engulfing Pein in their fire and completely obscuring him in the orange light. But the strength of the explosion was nowhere near the intensity of Hanzo's Gokakyu no Jutsu, the rain soon doused the flames, and left the results plain to see.

"What?!" Hanzo growled. All that was left of Pein were his legs, smoking and broken. But the point of severance was too neat, it was like Pein had cut them off himself just to escape. But with no blood to prove that theory, Hanzo was at a loss.

"GRARGH!!!"

Hanzo whipped his head to his right, eyes widening in shock at what he saw. There Pein was, falling upon one of the guards. He gripped the ninja with all six of his arms, while the serrated tail ran down the guard's collar and out his abdomen. The puddles at the guard's feet were died red, as his own blood poured down the bladed tail and dripped from the tip. It was then that Hanzo saw it, the face on the right of Pein's head, _it was looking right at him._

"Those eyes." Hanzo muttered, his own narrowing, "But you are not the one who possesses those eyes."

Pein turned his head to look at Hanzo, the smiling face even more disturbing than the angered one.

"God can appear in any form." he said, as he pulled his tail out of the guard and flipped back, the two of them hitting the ground at the same time. Pein stood supported by his arms, his blade curling overhead like a scorpion's tail. It was times like these that gave him a humorous reminder that Asura realm was Sasori's work.

"So you are god then?" Hanzo asked, without sarcasm, "Then prove it to me!"

"I plan to." Pein replied, bending his arms before launching himself off the ground and straight for Hanzo. But the old Shinobi wasn't about to give in easily. He leapt high up into the air, biting into his thumb as he did so. He ran through the series of hand signs, boar, dog, bird, monkey then ram.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he called, slamming his hand onto the rooftop of the building that had been behind him. Pein slowly looked up as a great shadow loomed over him. Not even in this instance did his smile fade.

"At last." he muttered, before launching himself off the ground again.

* * * * *

"Yo, you guys finished over here?" Jirou asked, stepping off the rooftop and landing in the street.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, jerking his head to the pile just behind him, "Gaara's just getting rid of the sand now."

Jirou raised his brow, looking around Naruto to Gaara, who was crouching in the sand with the tips of his fingers pressed into the wet grit. It wasn't clear what he intended to do, he didn't seem able to lift all this wet sand, at least not after expending so much of his chakra fighting.

"Well, guess I better get to sealing." Jirou said, pulling out a scroll. He headed over to the pile of bodies and crouched down, "Man, I still gotta get Isamu's lot, and we're running out of time."

Naruto left him to that as he headed over to Gaara, who seemed deep in concentration. He crouched down beside the red haired bow, but wasn't acknowledged.

"So what do you think's going on?" Naruto asked, resting his arms on his knees, "If these guys were that weak."

Gaara didn't reply immediately, he paused for several seconds with a twitching brow. But whatever he was trying to do must have been too difficult, he soon gave up and opened his eyes.

"Most likely they were countering our distraction by giving us weak opponents." he replied, standing, "In which case, _they_ distracted _us_."

"From what?" Naruto asked, getting to his feet as well.

Gaara looked to his left, folding his arms.

"Probably from that." he replied, maintaining his gaze. Naruto followed Gaara's look, his own eyes widening in shock.

"What the hell is that?!" he exclaimed, with a stunned look. His yell attracted Jirou's attention, he looked first at them, and then where they were looking.

Off to the distance, among the tall buildings, something was moving near the tower. Whatever it was, it was immense in size, but obscured by its surroundings. Jirou however seemed to have no trouble recognising it, judging by the look on his face.

Kohaku and Haruka both appeared on the rooftop to the left, while Isamu showed up to the right. All three of them wore the same agitated expression, looking down at Jirou's matching look.

"Hanzo's attacking the base!" Haruka cried, "We have to get there!"

"Let's go!" Kohaku agreed, running past her, "Leave the bodies!"

"Got it!" Jirou replied, getting to his feet and replacing his scroll. Naruto and Gaara glanced at each other, before following the others back to the tower.

"What is that thing?!" Naruto asked. For some reason he looked to Gaara for answers, but he didn't seem to have any.

"It's Hanzo's salamander summon." Haruka explained, slowing down just enough so they could keep up with her, "Don't go near it under any circumstances!"

"Is it really that dangerous?" Naruto asked, looking up at her from the street.

"If he's summoned that, then there's every possibility the entire block will be levelled." Haruka replied, with a disgruntled look on her face, "When he collaborates with that beast, he's unstoppable."

Gaara glanced up at Haruka when she said this, before returning his gaze to the front.

"Naruto-san! Gaara-san!" Kohaku called, looking over his shoulder, "These enemies will be too much for you to handle. You stay out of this!"

Naruto blinked in surprise, he hadn't expected them to suddenly try and get them away.

"What are you saying?!" he asked, speeding up a little to catch up with him, "We can't leave!"

"The situation has changed!" Kohaku replied, as Naruto leapt up beside him, "We don't have any preparations for this, and there's no guarantee we could keep an eye on you if things get dangerous!"

Naruto looked ahead to the battle going on. Already clouds of smoke and dust were brewing amongst the skyscrapers, and faintly they could hear the groans of the beast overhead. People were running away from that place, looking over their shoulders fearfully. Gaara and Jirou took to the rooftops on Isamu's side to avoid obstruction.

There was no doubt this situation was perilous, one look was enough to tell him that. But all the same, he knew there was no way he could keep himself from going. He looked back at Kohaku with a weak grin.

"You see the look in Gaara-san's eyes?" he asked, jerking his head towards the red haired boy, "He's not gonna leave even if you tell him. And besides…"

Kohaku's brow creased as Naruto's face suddenly turned serious.

"Rika-chan and Yuuka-chan were both going to that festival." he said, shocking Kohaku from his expression, "I gotta make sure they got away."

Kohaku stared long and hard at Naruto, his open mouth and incredulous eyes looking directly at him.

"How do you…" he breathed, before looking ahead, "I see, so that's why Pein-sama was so interested."

"I can't leave yet." Naruto said, resolutely. Kohaku glanced at him again, but only for a moment.

"Haruka!" he called, looking over his shoulder, "You stay with these two!"

"Are you crazy?!" Haruka demanded, with a look of disbelief, "What are you thinking?!"

"Sending them away won't do any good!" Kohaku replied, "We'll need all the help we can get!"

"Damn it Kohaku!" Haruka grunted, "All right, I'll do it!"

Kohaku nodded in gratitude, before looking to Naruto again.

"Don't tell the others about them." he said, in a low voice, "Not a word, got it?"

Naruto frowned at Kohaku, but nodded in reply.

"Got it." he said.

Kohaku returned his gaze ahead, a troubled look on his face.

"Jirou, Isamu, you're with me!" he called out, "Haruka, Naruto and Gaara will cover our rear!"

Naruto's brow raised a fraction at the drop of formality, but dismissed it because of the situation. No one complained or made any statement to the gesture, other than Jirou and Isamu's quick nods.

"Looks like things are getting hairy, you up for this?"

Of course, Naruto couldn't reply in words, so he just gave a sharp nod. He couldn't afford to be unprepared, there was too much at stake. He leapt to the wall of the next building and ran along it horizontally. Kohaku head off to join Jirou and Isamu, while Haruka and Gaara stayed close to Naruto.

"You ready for this?" Naruto asked, with a grim look.

"Course I am."

"Good." Naruto said, as he leapt to the next building, "Let's do it!"

"Yeah!"


	36. Dousing the flames

Woo, I think I'm getting better at this war thing. What d'you reckon, how does this coup seem? Damn, while I'm writing this I'm also having to plan the next arc, since this one doesn't last nearly as long as I thought it would

Disclaimer: Is anyone else annoyed by the anime version of Utakata? I expected Miroku, and they give us Sesshomaru. Well screw that, Kishi described him as charming, so I'm going with that!

* * *

**Dousing the flames**

The rain was steadily lightening, and the sky was slowly clearing. The skyscrapers of Amegakure barely seemed to notice however, they remained grey and gloomy, the water having darkened the concrete considerably. The ground below was almost empty, most of the civilians had left the area a while ago, but there were still a few stragglers.

Naruto, Gaara and Haruka ran along the sides of the buildings, heading towards the very place the pedestrians seemed so keen to be far from. Every now and then they spotted Kohaku, Jirou and Isamu through the gaps in the buildings, they were ahead of them by a small lead. So far they hadn't encountered the enemy, but they did still have a way to go before they got near the tower.

"We can't be certain of what the other teams are doing." Haruka said, her brow creased in concentration, "They may not be there yet, we were one of the closer groups."

"So we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves then?" Naruto asked, looking back over his shoulder.

"_You_ shouldn't draw attention." Haruka corrected, looking at Naruto pointedly, "Like it or not you're easy targets. They're not gonna hold back because you're so young."

"I'll be careful." Naruto replied with a nod. He then looked over to Gaara, "Are you ok with hanging back like this?"

Gaara looked at Naruto from the corner of his eye, before returning it straight ahead. He said nothing.

"Ooh, cold shoulder."

While Naruto doubted that was really the case, he couldn't shake the feeling that Gaara's almost normal mood was gone again, and his thoughts had returned to darker places. It was a pity, but now Naruto knew something more about the red haired boy; he didn't expect people to help him. So when Naruto kept him from falling, and took out the person responsible, he hadn't known how to act. Now, his guard seemed to have returned.

"There!" Haruka called, looking down to the end of the street. There, a group of ninja took position, guarding the area vigilantly. They hadn't quite been spotted yet, the guards kept glancing back uneasily. But their positions were soon revealed when one of the guards spotted them. That guard and the rest of his group immediately headed to intercept, running along the wall.

"I'll take point!" Haruka called, leaping past Naruto and Gaara to the lead, "I need a distraction!"

Naruto nodded, forming the cross hand seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. Six clones appeared in front of him, running ahead to intercept the four guards.

"Now you two get back!" Haruka ordered, as the guards and the clones met.

Naruto and Gaara both did just that, and she went on ahead. She stopped some way before the fray of the guards and the clones, scanning the enemies carefully. Then, when her mind was made up, she entered the skirmish, slashing out with the blades on her gauntlet. She fought alongside the Kage Bunshin, but these guards were better prepared than the last. Each of them stood with two kunai in their hand, blocking Haruka's blades and the Kage Bunshin's katana's easily. Though despite their ability, they were still forced on the defensive.

Naruto watched the fight from afar, prepared to replace any destroyed Kage Bunshin. It seemed they were holding up however, fortunately with speed on their side they could attack pretty relentlessly, even if the strength of their hits wasn't great. Even so, the guards weren't going anywhere fast.

"Hey, do you think you could use your sand to slow them down?" Naruto asked, glancing to his right, "Wha-?!"

He watched in amazement as Gaara stopped the flow of chakra to his feet and allowed himself to fall. He plummeted down to the ground, far below.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Naruto yelled, pausing just after taking a step, "I'm going after him!"

"Fine, but don't go too far!" Haruka replied, her voice obscured by the sound of clashing metal. Naruto nodded, before letting himself drop off the wall as well.

With the sand, Gaara managed to slow his descent enough so that he landed neatly on the ground. He glanced up, noticing that Naruto was following him, before making his way down the street. Naruto returned his feet to the wall and ran the last few metres before dropping down and following him.

"Where's he going?"

"I don't know." Naruto replied. Fortunately, speed wasn't a strong point for Gaara, Naruto soon caught up, "What are you doing?"

Gaara didn't reply, but he did whip his head around hastily, as if he were trying to find something. Whatever it was, it didn't seem he was having an easy time locating it, judging by his annoyed expression.

They reached the end of the street, where Gaara took a sharp turn to the left. Naruto glanced back as he followed, Haruka and the enemies disappeared from sight. That made him a little wary, after all, they were supposed to stick together. But he reasoned that in this situation, nothing good could come of Gaara going off on his own.

"_HREA-YAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"_

Naruto and Gaara both came to a sudden stop as they heard that shrill and immense cry. What was that?!

* * * * *

The Asura realm's hands scraped the ground as he slid back, looking up at the gargantuan beast before him. The face on his right, the angered one, was singed and blackened, wisps of smoke rising from it. The strap across his right eye had been incinerated, and he was forced to keep his eye closed. But as usual, his expression only ever revealed one thing, though even here his smile wasn't as wide as usual.

"To take this beast out with only the Asura realm… this may not be a simple task." he muttered, bending his arms again, "However, this method is preferable."

Before him, leaning over one of the smaller buildings, was a monster of incredible proportions. Its xanadu skin, a very greyed shade of green, was covered in warts, yet it was smooth. Its long, slimy body glistened in the weak sunlight, its breath immediately condensing in the air. It leant forward, and the building it had been using as a support collapsed, the beast falling down with it. It landed into the street, the wet roads freezing over from the contact with its feet. It turned its head blindly, for it possessed no eyes. It shivered lightly from the cold, its massive breaths rattling in the air. Of course, it sought the heat of the flames, this cold blooded creature was clearly not comfortable in this environment. As was the ways of a salamander.

"Han… zo." the salamander moaned, hiss immense teeth chattering slightly, "It's… s-so… co-old."

Hanzo, who stood atop the salamander's head, crouched down and looked at the beast.

"Then why not warm yourself, Hitokage?" he asked, in a suggestive tone, "Make yourself comfortable."

"O... k." Hitokage replied, as he suddenly let loose a large shudder. Pein cocked a brow curiously at the motion, but knew better than to wait and see the effects. He propelled himself up to the wall of the nearest building, and made his way to the salamander as quickly as he could manage.

Hitokage's shuddering came to a stop, but he then seemed to begin convulsing grotesquely, bowing his head beneath himself. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and retched loudly. With a sickening splatter, large globules of some sort of slime landed on the ground, a blue substance that grossly resembled phlegm. He heaved several more times, and the disgusting mucus spread further under his belly, until he was lying atop it.

"It's… d-done…" he said, raising his head with a slightly anxious tone, "Pl-please… ignite… it."

Hanzo nodded, stepping up to the edge of Hitokage's upper lip and looking down. After a quick series of hand seals, he leant back.

"Katon: Karyu Endan!" he called, before taking a deep inhale. He then threw his head forward, and blew out a large stream of fire. The blazing blast flew down straight into the blue mucus, which immediately exploded into a massive inferno that engulfed Hitokage's underbelly in blue flames.

"HREA-YAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" the salamander screeched, as he tossed his enormous frame from side to side. Pein skidded to a halt, clinging to the wall of a building as he watched Hitokage cry out. The beast soon calmed though, it's screech quieting to a stop, "Ah, that's… better."

"Now we must fight!" Hanzo demanded, refusing to take his eyes off Asura.

"Very… well…" Hitokage replied, "Who… is our… opponent?"

"You can't tell?"

"I can't."

Hanzo crouched down again, placing his hand atop Hitokage's head.

"He is a little to your right, on the wall of a building." he explained, watching as Pein returned his gaze with artificial interest.

Hitokage looked around settling on the rough area Pein was located. But even then he seemed to be uncertain, changing the point he fixed on constantly.

"That's… him?" the salamander asked, "He's… barely emitting… any heat… at all."

"Regardless, that is our target." Hanzo stressed.

"I think that's enough." Pein said, bounding off the wall and lunging at Hitokage. He lashed out with his tail, slicing into the salamander's leg with a brutal slash.

"HREA-YAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" Hitokage screeched again, as blue blood poured from his gash, spraying Asura and running down his leg. The blood then reached the flames, and that too ignited, sending a running trail of fire up his leg and cauterizing his wound. Unfortunately, Pein couldn't get away in time to avoid the flames, and he too was ignited.

"Ah, how unfortunate." he said, as the flames caused some of his missiles to react. They fired out of his body before he had the chance to release them, shattering two of his arms and sending him flying to the ground in a blazing heap.

"There!" Hanzo called, thrusting his fist in the direction Pein's burning body lay, "Attack him!"

Hitokage's leg twitched from the pain, his teeth grinding. He looked down at Pein, focusing on the exact point he lay.

"Ah… there he… is." he said, before reaching out with his uninjured leg, "I'll… squash him."

He raised his foot high in the air, its shadow casting down upon Pein threateningly. But Pein didn't even look up as the foot lowered, his eyes had become glassy.

Hitokage stopped, his leg shaking slightly as it hovered above Pein. His eyeless face was fixed on something a little higher, his mouth hung open.

"Cold…" he breathed, gaping, "But… hot…"

Hanzo frowned, taking a few steps to his right to get a better look at what was going on. He saw the blue flames flickering in the shadow of Hitokage's foot, and the vague form of Pein.

"What?!" he exclaimed.

The Asura realm, somehow, seemed to shimmer. The flames died instantly and he seemed to become obscured, as if he was being seen through frosted glass. The effect seemed to grow, until he no longer seemed to even have shape, and the colours of his body melded with those around him. Then he was gone, like smoke in the wind.

"What?!" Hanzo repeated, his eyes narrowing.

* * * * *

Naruto and Gaara kept their eyes fixed upon the place they heard the cry come from. They could see nothing, but sight wasn't needed to judge the size of whatever made that noise. Neither of them had any misconceptions of it coming from something small, though neither of them had ever encountered a beast large enough to make a sound like that.

"Whoa… that's big."

"_Thanks."_ Naruto thought, dryly, _"I needed my dose of obvious."_

Gaara recovered first from the surprise, continuing on his way. Naruto blinked before following, wondering again what he was so keen to find. They reached another junction, and Gaara made a right into one of the market streets, where some of the stalls for the festival stood. It was here that he came to a stop, a look of recognition on his face.

"Did you find it?" Naruto asked, coming to a stop next to him. Gaara looked over his shoulder, past Naruto.

"Yes." he replied, "And it appears I was just in time."

Naruto whipped around, tensing as he saw a pair of Shinobi appear at the end of the street. They both looked about Chunin ranked, judging by their flak vests. They both had clipped hair, one brown and one black. Aside from that, there wasn't really much to distinguish them by, their similar features suggested they were related. They both also shared the serious look they were giving Naruto and Gaara.

"Those two… are they enemies?" the brown haired one asked.

"Look at the blonde one." the black haired one replied, "His headband's slashed."

Gaara took a small step forward, so Naruto was between him and the guards.

"These two are stronger than those from before." he quietly said, "Bring them to this position, and attack from above."

"Right." Naruto replied with a nod. He reached behind him and gripped Ekokaeten's hilt, drawing the blade out slowly. The two guards eyes narrowed as he did this, their stances lowering as they reached for their kunai.

Naruto jolted his hand upwards, whipping Eko out the rest of the way and throwing him high into the air. He then brought his hands together in the crossed seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried, summoning four clones on either side of him. He released his seal just in time to grab Eko, as they withdrew their cloned katana too. Then, at the same time, they split off, running to the walls in different directions.

The two Shinobi ran down the street, holding kunai in each hand as they watched each of the Naruto's, as well as keeping an eye on Gaara. The dark haired one reached back and threw one of his kunai at the red haired boy, but it was effortlessly deflected by the sand.

"Not good!" Naruto thought, seeing the calculating look in the Shinobi's eyes. These two really were a cut above the rest, this wasn't going to be easy.

One of the clones ran down the wall and darted towards the pair, his katana held back in both hands. The brown haired one faced him, bracing himself. When the clone drew nearer, and slashed round with his katana, the Shinobi whipped around, raising both his blades. He struck the katana with one blade, before slashing the throat of the clone with the next. He gave an annoyed twitch at the puff of smoke, but soon returned his attention to the others.

"Up there!" the black haired one called, shooting his eyes up. From the sky fell another Naruto, this one wielding two katana. He slashed down with his blades, but both guards easily blocked with their kunai. However, in their moment of surprise, another clone dropped down. This one wielded no katana, obviously the reason for the others possession of two. Therefore, his hands were free. He ran very low, clasping his hands together just as the Shinobi spotted him.

"Futon: Reppusho!" the clone cried, thrusting his palms out just as the Shinobi moved to defend. They were both struck with the blast of wind, thrown back by the force. Straight towards Gaara.

The two weren't foolish enough not to react. They both reached into their pouches just as Gaara raised his hands. They threw something down at the ground, a smoke pellet. Naruto cursed as the smoke blasted straight into Gaara, both blinding and choking him.

"GAARA!!!" he yelled, as the guards too disappeared into the cloud of smoke. He and the other clones dropped from the walls they clung to, the one with two katana's returning the spare to the empty handed one. They too dove into the smoke, while the original stayed behind.

"It's a good thing I know this won't hit him." he said, as he returned Eko to his sheath. He then reached into his pouch and pulled out six shuriken, holding them between his fingers.

"Not bad, that's fast thinking."

"Thanks!" Naruto replied, before swinging his arms around and hurling all of the Shuriken into the slowly dispersing cloud.

The two guards leapt out of the cloud, trails of purple smoke following their movements. The brown haired one gripped his arm, while other winced as blood trickled from the wound in his leg. The smoke finally cleared, revealing what Naruto already knew. All his clones were gone, struck either by the guards or the shuriken. Gaara on the other hand, was completely fine, his shield raised with a few of the shuriken embedded in it.

The tow guards landed on either side of Gaara, with some distance apart. The black haired one dropped to his knee, pulling out the shuriken stuck in it. He shot Naruto a threatening look, one that was shared by his partner. It looked like he was the target now.

"This is fine." Gaara said, as the sand dropped back to his feet, shuriken clattering on the stone.

He bent his knees and lowered his stance, holding his hands out on either side; one in front and one behind. Both his palms faced upwards, his fingers gripping a large amount of air. His brow creased in concentration. He drew his hands in, and from somewhere a strange sound rang out, like stone scraping against stone. The two guards tensed, looking around them as they tried to locate the source of the noise. But suddenly, the sound was exchanged with a loud crashing cacophony, like the shattering of clay. But what came next was not sound, but sand. Massive amounts burst from two shop windows, easily as much as Gaara normally carried in his gourd. Both mounds flew at the Shinobi, threatening to ram into them.

"Damn it!" cursed the black haired one. He leapt into the air, dodging the attack. What he failed to predict however, was Gaara changing the direction of the sands movement and slamming it straight into him.

"Brother!" the brown haired Shinobi called out, as he leapt back to avoid the sand. But it was no use, the sand quickly ensnared his brother, until there was nothing left of him to see, "BASTARD!"

He threw both of his kunai straight at Gaara, but they only struck his shield. He continued to leap left and right, narrowly dodging the sand that continued to follow him. He reached back into his weapons pouch, pulling out a kunai with an explosive tag.

"GRAH!!!" he cried out, as a large blade suddenly burst from his chest. Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he looked behind the Shinobi, surprised to see Haruka standing at the end of the street. There was a long chain connecting her gauntlet to what appeared to be a strange sort of fuma shuriken, the object that was stuck in the back of the Shinobi.

"_I didn't even notice… but all the Kage Bunshin are gone!"_ Naruto thought, as Haruka pulled back and retracted the shuriken. Blood sprayed from both holes in the Shinobi's back, he fell to his knees and collapsed in his own pool. The shuriken returned to the gauntlet with a snap, before folding itself back into place.

"Looks like you guys didn't need my help." she said, before looking at Gaara. She pointed past him with a questioning look on her face, "Uh, are you gonna…"

Naruto glanced at Gaara, who looked behind him at the hovering pile of sand. Even though he still had his hand raised, he'd seem to have forgotten about the Shinobi trapped inside. But with a quick clench of his fist, he corrected that problem.

"Wow… he seems almost carefree."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, with a slightly exasperated look. He was then hit with a sudden curiosity, as he wondered where that sand had come from. He turned around, looking through the shattered shop window behind him. There, on the ground, was the remains of a large red urn, broken into uncountable pieces.

"_Hey… isn't that?!"_ he thought, as his brow raised and creased, _"Isn't that one of the jars from his room?!"_

* * * * *

It wasn't until Hitokage returned his foot back to the flames that Hanzo realised what happened. Though, that wasn't to say he understood.

A short way behind where Asura realm had been lying, another of Pein's realms stood. The Naraka realm looked impassively up at Hanzo, sharing none of the misinterpreted enjoyment of the Asura. Invisible to Hanzo's eyes, a large head stood next to the Naraka, which also stared up at Hanzo, with the same Rinnegan eyes. On its head, it bore the kanji for king, and with the headdress it wore, combined with the black flames that sat beneath it, it looked like quite a hellish king.

The Naraka realm looked over at the head, the King of Hell, watching as it opened its mouth. From the shadows within, a large hand reached out, its red nails matching those of every one of Pein's realms. The Asura realm stepped out from the mouth, restored and even wearing a cloak once more. The Naraka realm watched as the King of Hell's mouth closed, and it slowly slid back into the earth. He then returned his gaze to Hanzo, who was staring bewilderedly at the two of them.

"Impossible!" he cried, "You both possess those eyes?!"

"It is as I said." Pein replied, through the Naraka realm, "God can appear in any form."

Hanzo took a step back as he suddenly heard a loud crash from above. He whipped his head to the top of the tower, his eyes widening in shock at what he saw. A giant, lobster like creature clung to the tower with its pincers. It looked down at Hanzo and Hitokage, slowly opening its mouth.

"No!" Hanzo breathed, as a massive stream of what appeared to be bubbles burst from the crustacean's mouth, flying down at Hitokage, "Quick, up there!"

Hitokage sensed the attack and threw his head upwards, opening his mouth and spraying out a much thinner version of the mucus that burned beneath him. At the same time, Hanzo threw together a series of seals, before inhaling.

"Katon: Karyu Endan!" he called, before exhaling fire onto the liquid. Immediately the liquid ignited, turning into a blazing column of fire that struck the wave of bubbles head on. Though the two streams of fire and water struggled, it appeared the fire was succeeding in pushing the bubbles back. Judging by the look on Hanzo's face, he was aware of that fact.

"HROOOAAAWWW!!!" Hitokage suddenly cried out, as Asura struck his rear leg with his missiles and caused him to fall over. With the fire out of the way, the bubbles struck Hitokage hard, and more importantly, doused his flames. Hanzo leapt off just in time, as Hitokage cried out again.

"S-sorry… H-Hanzo." the salamander said, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Hanzo began to curse, but the words were caught in his mouth as his vision was suddenly obscured by Asura realm.


	37. In the name

Whew, this one was a little more intense than the previous ones. After much thought, and thanks to DarkTorrent for advice, I now have a better idea of what to do next. Actually, he's been helping out a lot, I think I'd be stuck in the burn ward of all the flames I'd have gotten otherwise.

Disclaimer: Don't flame for the Jiraiya-like thing that happens! Orochimaru did something like that too!

* * *

**In the name**

"Looks like the others are joining in after all." Haruka said, looking out of the corner of her eye. Far off, between the buildings, she caught fleeting signs of other ninja heading back to the tower, their comrades. But they were distant, not close enough to contact, "Our chances just got a little better."

"I'm not sure I like the way you said that." Naruto uneasily replied, as they ran down the street.

"This is the way it is for us ninja." Haruka said, looking at him encouragingly, "You have to be prepared to risk your life."

Naruto sighed, it was hardly and invigorating thing to be told. Though maybe he was just being naïve.

"Where are the enemy?" Gaara asked, looking at Haruka.

"I don't sense anyone nearby." Haruka replied, her expression matching Gaara's, "These streets are empty."

Gaara cast his eyes back ahead, his vague eyes giving no inclination to his thoughts. Though by now, Naruto had almost given up trying to work out what was going in Gaara's mind. After all, his wasn't the only voice in his mind.

They turned right at the next street, but soon came to a stop as they realised there was a fight going on ahead. There were two enemy Shinobi, and a Kunoichi, taking on what looked like-

"Yo, how's it going?" Isamu asked, flashing a grin over his shoulder.

"Where are Kohaku and Jirou?!" Haruka asked, with evident concern.

"We got separated!" Isamu replied, as he blocked a kick from the Kunoichi with his arm. He seemed to be caught in close combat with all three ninja, their kunai and shuriken supply gone, "Those two are up ahead!"

"You need a hand?" Haruka asked, with a small smirk.

"Don't even think about it!" Isamu grinned, performing a spin kick that caused all three ninja to jump back.

"He doesn't want us to help him?" Naruto asked, watching as Isamu suddenly went on the offensive. For whatever reason, he seemed content with just using basic Taijutsu.

"Nah, he likes it this way." Haruka replied, leaning against the wall to their right, "The only way he could enjoy it more is he has an audience."

"We should move on ahead." Gaara said, folding his arms.

"Yeah, like you could resist watching a good fight."

Naruto blinked, looking over at Eko in surprise. What had he just said?

"You see something?" Haruka asked, looking back down the street they'd come from.

"Oh, no." Naruto replied, returning his gaze to Isamu. As he watched the fight, he couldn't help but wonder though. He looked again at Gaara, who stood watching the fight without protest. He seemed to have forgotten himself that they were in the middle of a mission, _"How did Eko catch that?"_

"HYA!" Isamu cried out excessively, as he threw his fist into the gut of one of the Shinobi.

"GWA!" the Shinobi cried out, his breath leaving him from the force of the punch. Then, a moment later, he flew backwards, as if hit with an even greater force. He hit the ground rolling, trailing dirt and dust through the air as he travelled half a street before settling. Seeing that snapped Naruto from his thoughts, confusion and bewilderment taking place.

"What the?!" he exclaimed, "What happened?"

"Oh right, you don't know." Haruka said, though judging by her smirk she was already well aware of that, "Isamu's a strange one. He only has his chakra control."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, frowning at her. She let out a small chuckle, before continuing.

"He doesn't have enough focus for Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, or the patience for Taijutsu." she explained, "But he makes up for that with incredible chakra control. He can generate enough of it to render himself immovable, if he likes."

Naruto's brow rose as he thought back to that time Isamu told him to hit him with his best shot.

"So wait, the reason my attack didn't work was-" he began.

"You got it." Haruka replied, "He channelled his chakra to his feet and rooted himself to the ground. I'm not even sure what force it would take to knock him off his feet."

Naruto turned to look at Isamu again, who was continuing his fight with the other two ninja. Now that he looked closer, the other two looked pretty exhausted, while he seemed pumped with adrenaline.

"Looks like Kohaku must have given him a booster." Haruka said, "Even he doesn't normally sweat that much."

It was true, Isamu's skin shone from the sweat pouring down his back. He whipped around and delivered a backhand to the Kunoichi, but she managed to resist being thrown off her feet. Once again though, a moment later it was like gravity changed, and she was pulled into the concrete wall, crying out in pain.

"He only has basic fighting skills." Haruka said, "He could never take out an opponent on his own, if it weren't for his chakra control. He can gather it to any point in his body and release it at once. It's like getting hit by a bull."

As if to prove that point, Isamu bowed down to the final opponent, pressing his fingers to the ground and pushing his legs back. He then charged into the Shinobi, grappling him tight around the waist. He jumped to his right and kicked off the wall of the building, and slammed the ninja into the ground. The stone slabs cracked and burst from the impact, obscuring the ninja's groan. Isamu climbed out from the small crater, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Phew, that was fun." he remarked, as Naruto, Gaara and Haruka approached him, "How are things going on your end?"

"We're doing just fine." Haruka replied, resting her arm on Naruto's shoulder, "In fact these two have been holding their own pretty well."

"Heh I doubt it." Isamu said, grinning at Naruto, who was trying to keep his embarrassment of Haruka's closeness from being seen, "This runt looks like he's about to pass out!"

"Quit calling me a runt!" Naruto yelled, his ready pumped blood causing him to react uncharacteristically. Isamu cocked a brow, smirking.

"Little dog's got a quick bark." he remarked, chuckling to himself.

"Uh, Isamu." Haruka said, pointing behind him. Isamu noticed it in time and whipped around, kicking the Kunoichi sneaking up on him in the gut. Like before however, she seemed to stick to him unnaturally.

"Look at this, I got a piece of crap on my boot." Isamu remarked. He then spun around, the Kunoichi was pulled along with him, "GET THE HELL OFF!!!"

He threw his leg out and pumped chakra into his foot, blasting it into her stomach and sending her flying down the street. Isamu didn't even watch her land, he turned back to Haruka.

"You guys gonna check on the other two?" he asked, as a small cloud of dust puffed down the street, "I wanna look around for stragglers."

"You know we're on a mission, right?" Haruka asked, with a sceptical look.

"Yeah, which is why I'll take the role of clean up crew." Isamu replied, "Don't want the leftovers repeating on us do we?"

"That metaphor doesn't even make sense." Haruka irritably sighed, before straightening up and passing Isamu, "Fine, do what you want."

"I plan to." Isamu replied, stepping past her and putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Hey runt, why don't you try and prove me wrong?"

Naruto grumbled to himself as Isamu flashed him a grin, before he headed off down the street they'd come from. Haruka shook her head, before jerking it to the next street.

"Come on." she said, "We'll need to check on those two."

* * * * *

Hanzo landed on the ground, stumbling slightly but managing to stay upright. He looked around himself, a look of astonishment on his face. He soon shook it off however, when he realised the Asura realm was behind him. He leapt back, raising his arms defensively as he locked eyes with Pein.

"Where have you taken me?" Hanzo demanded, glaring through the darkness.

"To the place closest to god."

Hanzo whipped around, trying hard to locate the owner of that- no, _those_ voices.

"Who's there?!" he called out, "Step forward!"

Suddenly, fires blazed into life behind him, the torches igniting and bringing light into the room. Though it was still very dim, he could make out the Asura realm behind him by silhouette. He turned back around as he heard footsteps.

From the depths of the shadows, Deva realm appeared, standing before Hanzo expressionlessly. The two Shinobi stared at each other, only one revealing anything on his face. Hanzo's eyes narrowed accusingly at Deva.

"You…" he muttered, "And yet, you two have those eyes. But that isn't possible, no one should have those eyes. And for that matter, you should be dead."

"Fate is my decision." Pein replied, both Deva's and the voice still in the darkness echoing through the room, "Death is my whim."

Hanzo's gaze faltered for a moment, listening to those serious words. After but a moment of uncertainty, he began chuckling coldly.

"Fufufu, so that's how it is." he said, sneering cruelly, "This is for revenge then? Why don't you show yourself, the real you?"

Deva didn't react, nor move in the slightest.

"So you figured it out." he said, "But you are wrong. Revenge is not my goal."

Once more Hanzo laughed, his scepticism clear in his cutting tone.

"It isn't?" he asked, with a doubting look, "Then what?"

As answer, Deva lazily raised his hand, gesturing past Hanzo towards the fire. He hesitated, but after a moment Hanzo looked, spotting the tablet that lay between the torches. He glanced over the text, before deciding he couldn't read it.

"An old plaque?" he asked, watching as Asura left through the door, "Should I be impressed?"

He looked back to Deva realm, who still remained stoic.

"There stood, the heavenly sage, and the hellish beast." he read, "The beast, who's aura so foul it ran around the entire world and tainted it with evil and despair. But the sage's aura cut through the beast's and the two beings clashed in the twilight, with power unfound and eyes unseen."

Hanzo listened cautiously to Pein's words, his expression still suspicious. All the while Pein spoke, he built up his chakra for the path this encounter would inevitably take.

"That is the legacy of the Rikudo Sennin." Pein finished, "And the reason for this."

"I care not for any legacies." Hanzo replied, "Whether you have any relationship to that person or not is of no concern of mine. What is your objective?"

"My objective?" Pein repeated, "That is simple. What I seek… is peace."

In an instant Hanzo's hands were together, flying through hand seals.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" he called, taking his fingers to his mouth and letting out several sharp exhales that ignited into balls of fire. The flames hurtled straight for the Deva realm, but Pein only raised his hand.

A blast of something like wind pulsed out of his hand, erasing the fireballs from existence. But the Jutsu had served its purpose, as the smoking hole in the wall told him. Hanzo had broken out. Pein walked to the hole, looking outside to the village. Hanzo descended through the sky, his arms and legs snapped together to maximise his speed. It seemed like an escape attempt, but Hanzo's eyes never left Pein. It was a challenge.

"Very well then." Pein muttered, as he too leapt out the window.

* * * * *

_Shrkt!_

Naruto pushed with all his strength, trying to gain the upper hand against the opponent before him. The Shinobi he fought against was a young man, with scruffy brown hair held down in a light headpiece. With the blue strap running under his chin, the bandage across his nose and tight fitting navy jumpsuit he wore he looked like he was about to go swimming. But from the look in his sharp, eager eyes, taking a dip wasn't his intention.

They both fought, Naruto with Eko and this person with his kunai. Their strength was about the same, neither had the advantage here. He was also just as fast. But that wasn't the only thing they shared. Naruto pushed hard before leaping back and tossing Eko into the air, while the other boy did the same.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called, his hands held in the cross seal.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!" the other boy mirrored, his hands in the sea of the tiger.

On either side, three clones of the user appeared, each holding their weapons at the ready. Naruto grabbed Eko and charged forward again, meeting the boy in the middle while their clones clashed as well.

"Your Kage Bunshin aren't bad!" the boy said, panting slightly, "Their giving mine a nice challenge!"

"Same here!" Naruto replied, his breathing the same, "But I'm not gonna lose to you!"

"Like you gotta choice!" the boy grinned, pushing forward.

Across the street, Gaara was also fighting an opponent who used Mizu Bunshin, but he was having more trouble than Naruto. Every time he'd used his sand to strike them down, they would disperse and soak the sand, making it slower and heavier. It was for that reason he was forced to halt his offence, and form a strategy while the Mizu Bunshin uselessly attacked.

"That shield of yours is pretty strong!" commented the large Shinobi that faced him. His tight black tank top and shorts were of the same make as Naruto's opponent, the difference being that he had his forehead protector plate attached to his chest instead. His slicked back hair shone with sweat though, Gaara was aware that he was the original and therefore was constantly changing position, something someone with his bulk didn't find easy, "Pity it can't hold up against water!"

Following these words, three of his Mizu Bunshin charged directly at Gaara lunging straight at him. Gaara responded by swiping them with his sand, keeping his shield intact by sacrificing the amount he controlled.

Haruka was the only one not fighting against Mizu Bunshin, though she would have preferred it that way. Her opponent had incredibly fast reactions, and was annoyingly flexible. She avoided the fuma shuriken every time, bending or jumping in some strange way, all the while cackling manically.

"You'll never catch me like that!" she crowed, bending backwards as she avoided getting cut in half, "Have you got any brains at all?"

"Damn bitch!" Haruka growled, retracting her blade and running in for close combat. She slashed at the Kunoichi, but only managed to cut some of her short raven hair, though that seemed to annoy the Kunoichi very much.

"Who do you think you are?!" she demanded, dropping to the ground and wrapping her legs around Haruka's. Then with a quick turn both of them were on the ground, Haruka grunting in annoyance. She twisted round and sliced out with her blade, cutting through her opponent's burgundy jumpsuit and leaving a deep wound in her leg.

"GAH!!!" the Kunoichi cried out, her grip loosening. In an instant Haruka was out, rolling aside before pushing herself to her feet. She whipped her head back just as a kunai flew past, though it was only a distraction to give the Kunoichi time to get back to her feet.

"You'll pay for that!" she growled, grasping her leg as blood seeped past. Haruka ignored her though, her turned head hiding her expression, "Hey! Are you listening to me?!"

"Yeah, I'm listening." Haruka replied, slowly turning her head to reveal both the cut on her cheek and a manic grin, "And I'm sick of your voice!"

She then lashed out with her gauntlet, sending her shuriken flying out again. The Kunoichi's eyes narrowed at Haruka, disliking that remark.

"You think that's going to work?!" she spat out, bending back to avoid the blade.

"Yeah, I think so." Haruka replied, clenching her fist.

_Shklt!_

The Kunoichi's eyes widened in shock as extensions to the shuriken snapped out, just in time to run through her stomach. Blood sprayed out from her gash, following the trail as the second blade of the shuriken passed through, all before she could even cry out.

Naruto's opponent's grin fell as he heard his team mate's scream, but he couldn't afford to look back.

"Hey Emi, you all right?!" he called out, as Naruto pushed him back a little. Haruka shot a glance at him, before looking to the Kunoichi again.

"Ha, your name's Emi?!" she asked, her grin widening, "What a joke!"

"Shit!" Naruto's opponent growled, as he blocked a strike.

"Stay focused Kaito-san!" ordered the big Shinobi, who's arrogant expression had also fallen.

"Damn it Michi, they got Emi!" Kaito yelled, taking a step forward, and slashing with his kunai.

"Looks like he's getting aggressive, you want me to take over?"

"Nah, I'm fine!" Naruto replied, as he defended. Kaito's attacks had grown more ferocious though, he seemed a lot angrier at the loss of his comrade than that Michi over there. Naruto could hardly blame him though, if Kaito hadn't cared, then he might have had a problem with that.

He struck out with Eko, putting some Futon chakra into the blade to increase its cutting power. It did its job, Kaito's kunai shattered and he was forced to jump back as Naruto slashed again. But Naruto just released Eko, who was caught by a Kage Bunshin and put to use, before clasping his hands.

"Futon: Reppusho!" he called, blasting Kaito back with a gust of wind. Haruka glanced over her shoulder as she heard the attack, and raised her arm just as Kaito passed. Her blade sliced straight through his spine, finishing him instantly.

"Two down!" she said, grinning as the Mizu Bunshin fell. She barely seemed to acknowledge the spattered blood on her clothes, and just turned to Gaara's fight, "Now we gotta wait for these two!"

They didn't have to wait long however, as Gaara suddenly threw out his hand, to the confusion of Michi. He then raised his hand in the air, stunning the Shinobi as sand poured up from the slabs, instantly entrapping him.

"Looks like he's been preparing that for a while!" Haruka commented, as Michi struggled.

"Sabaku Kyu!" Gaara called, crushing Michi from the waist down.

"HARGH!!!" Michi cried, gripping the sand tight as blood poured out from it. His pain didn't last long, Gaara tossed him into the wall, knocking him out and leaving him in his state.

"Gruesome as ever."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, as the Kage Bunshin tossed Eko back to him. He slipped the katana back into his sheath, before turning to Haruka, "Are we any closer?"

"Yeah, Jirou's just a couple of streets away." Haruka replied, her expression back to normal. Naruto resolved himself to never accidentally cut Haruka, he didn't want to wind up like that Emi woman.

"Let's go." Gaara said, as he finished gathering his sand again.

* * * * *

Hanzo came to a stop, water rippling as he turned to face Pein. The two of them stood upon the waterfront of Amegakure, undisturbed by buildings and other people. They focused strongly on each other, both with the same bland expressions.

"This is your choice of battleground then?" Pein asked.

"There is no need to glorify this." Hanzo replied, "This is simply your grave."

"You say that, and yet you lead this body away, when you know that the original is back there?" Pein countered, "Don't make idle threats."

"Fufufu, so you have some sense then." Hanzo said, his eyes narrowing, "But when I used my Jutsu, I saw your true form. You cannot escape."

The smallest of frowns appeared on Pein's face, almost unnoticeable, but there nonetheless. Hanzo caught it, and his eyes shown with a cruel glee.

"So you didn't notice." he said, "Fufufu… this _is_ a predicament you are caught in."

Pein raised his hand, his outstretched fingers reaching for Hanzo.

"Bansho Ten'in." he called. Hanzo's eyes widened in shock as he was suddenly pulled through the air by some overwhelming force, his arms thrown back as he flew straight towards Deva, who gripped his throat tight.

"Gah!" Hanzo gasped, before smirking. He looked straight down at Pein, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"_Kage Bunshin?!"_ Pein thought, his eyes widening angrily. They then relaxed, as he came to realise something, _"Then that man really was-"_

He came to a sudden stop, his eyes turning glassy as he stood still. Moments later, he too disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * * * *

Nagato scanned the room, looking for any signs of his realisation. Around him, the other torches ignited, ridding the room of the shadows that the hole in the wall failed to. Now that he could see more clearly, he gave the room another look, before spotting it. In the floor, there was a small hole, the wood burnt around it. And in that hole, there was an eye, with blackened cornea's and a pale iris.

"So there you are." Nagato muttered.

The eye then seemed to close, and a faint shuffling sound could be heard as something crawled out of the hole. It was a tiny salamander, whose skin was greyed in the light of the fire. It settled on the ground, before slowly opening his mouth as if to yawn. Yet somehow, its mouth stretched beyond the expected capacity, as if it was being pulled apart. What was even stranger though, was what came out of the mouth.

A hand. It slowly pushed itself out, before gripping the salamander's mouth. Soon another hand appeared and did the same. By this point, the salamander had disappeared behind the body pulling itself out of it. Nagato watched with no opinion of the slime that came with the movement, only locking eyes as soon as he met Hanzo's again.

"You're not surprised?" Hanzo asked, as his shoulders appeared.

"Hardly a noble position for someone of your standing." Nagato replied in his hoarse tone, "Though I'll admit, I prefer to see you on the floor."

With his waist now visible, Hanzo placed his hand on the ground and pulled himself out the rest of the way. As soon as he was gone, the salamander disappeared, and they were left on their own.

"Your belief that in this state I am weakened is incorrect." Nagato said, "Even as I am, you cannot win."

"Intimidation will get you nowhere." Hanzo replied, before disappearing in a Shunshin, "You cannot defend your blind spot, nor bring your hands from that machine. Doing so would lose your control from those other bodies, wouldn't it?"

Nagato's eyes narrowed as he looked back at Hanzo, who now stood behind him.

"You assume too much." Nagato said, "Though I'll congratulate you on separating myself from the Deva realm, you forget that I am not alone."

"You could have killed me back there, with that other body of yours." Hanzo replied, taking a few steps forward, "But instead you brought me here, to hear your little story. Not only that, but you left to your _Deva_ realm, as you put it. Let me ask you, if revenge isn't your goal, then why would it matter which of your bodies does the deed?"

Nagato stared at Hanzo, but offered no reply. Hanzo seemed to enjoy that fact, from what his eyes told.

"Regardless of what you say now, you said earlier that you would deal justice." he said, snidely, "But justice for whom? On who's behalf? Don't make jokes, you call it justice, but this is just revenge for the sake of your dead friend. This is simply an act of hatred, which you have decided to name justice."

Nagato stared hard at Hanzo, listening closely to his words. He then cast his eyes to the plaque ahead of him, staring, but not seeing.

"Hatred, in the name of justice you say?" he mused, as a smile spread across his dry lips, "An interesting notion, I'll admit. And in acting on this, I would inevitably instil the hatred of those close to you, would I not?"

Hanzo's look of confidence slipped at Nagato's words, his brow creasing as his expression turned dangerous.

"Then… I suppose I know what I must do next." Nagato said, turning his head back to look at Hanzo, "Your friends, your family, they must all die as well."

Hanzo's obscure lips curled back into a snarl as he glared at Nagato. He moved to take a step forward, but stopped as he felt resistance. Looking down at his leg, he noticed in shock that he was caught in what looked like the grip of several sheets of paper. Now that it had been noticed, all disguise was dropped as the paper rustled up his slime covered body, and Konan stepped from the only shadow in the room.

"Though I had really hoped for Deva realm to do so, it can't be helped if my partner here wishes to commit that act." Nagato said, "So I'm afraid this is goodbye. Though I will thank you, I'm glad we had the chance to talk."

Hanzo snarled again as his arms were covered, and pinned to his sides. He stretched his neck out, resisting the paper as much as he could. But it was futile, eventually there was nothing left of him.

"Now… find pea-" Nagato began, before cocking a brow in curiosity, "Hm?"


	38. Hunting in the rain

Wow, this came out of the blue, though I'm glad it did. This should provide something more interesting, without having to concern too much with description. Ah well, I'll let you read it, it's what you're here for right? How lame would it be to spoil it in the note? In any case, I'd give this coup a chapter or two more, though I've been saying that to myself for a while now. Eh, anyway. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Well I'm about ready to see more of Sessho- I mean Utakata. Also wondering if we'll get to see more of Danzo's pet heffalump in time.

* * *

**Hunting in the rain**

"Now… find pea-" Nagato began, before cocking a brow in curiosity, "Hm?"

He and Konan both stared as the paper that enwrapped Hanzo's body suddenly ignited, bursting into a column of pale blue flames. Konan stepped back, severing her connecting to the paper before she too was set ablaze.

The paper quickly turned to ashes, scattering on the floor. The smoke and flames served to completely obscure Hanzo's form, though from what could be seen he was in no way reacting to the fire.

"Stand down Konan." Nagato ordered, as Konan began to lower her stance. She looked at him once, seeing the seriousness in his eyes, before obeying. She stood back, staring cautiously as the blue fire lit up her face, _"So even such a small salamander can produce that much of the substance. Interesting."_

As suddenly as they'd appeared, the flames were gone, leaving Hanzo standing on a circle of blackened wood. He brought his arms together in a seal, running through a series too fast fir the naked eye to make out. He was about to cast his Jutsu, when suddenly Nagato and Konan disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Damn." Hanzo cursed, his hands dropping to his sides. His eyes then shot up, as the room darkened a little.

"Fair attempt, but it will require more subtle measures." the Asura realm said, "And I think a change of pace is due."

Hanzo growled, whipping around and throwing a kunai with an explosive tag straight at Pein, who dodged out of the way. Hanzo used the distraction to run through more hand seals.

"Salamander slime strike!" he called, pulling down his respirator. He opened his mouth and threw his head forward, spitting a large ball of blue mucus at Pein, who had just landed on the floor. Without time to dodge, he was hit head on, the mucus splattering his body in a messy heap. Hanzo then ran for the hole in the wall, tossing another explosive kunai at Pein.

"_Hmm…"_ Pein thought, as he found the mucus too sticky to break free from, _"Interesting."_

Hanzo flew out of the hole again as orange and blue flames followed him. But this time he clung to the wall, scanning the area carefully. To his knowledge, there were still at least four threats, unless the real Pein was the one who summoned that crustacean. If not, then that threat had been here at the time, but he couldn't be certain now.

He slid down the wall, gradually building speed as he made his descent. A rustling sound alerted him to another presence, and he glanced over his shoulder. He cursed.

Both the Human and Preta realms pursued Hanzo closely. Pein had decided that Hanzo would require more than a single realm, and now chose to test his abilities. His opponent had so far proven to be quite resourceful.

Hanzo ran through his seals again, turning around in the process. He held onto the last seal, the ram, before using the same Jutsu again. His mouth bulged, and he fired several smaller mucus projectiles, aiming for both realms as he repeatedly fired.

The two realms split off in either direction, and flanked Hanzo on both sides. Knowing his attack would be ineffective now, he dropped the seal and kicked off the building, flying down at a much faster speed. The two realms retaliated with the same, dropping of and pinning their arms to their sides. Hanzo watched them from the corner of his eye, before suddenly pulling himself back onto the building. The two realms flew past, doing the same moments later. But before they could turn around, Hanzo was upon them, with flaming blue fists. He threw his fist at the Human realm, counting on the momentary distraction. But to his shock, the Human realm not only blocked the attack, he _grabbed_ Hanzo's fist.

"Gah!" Hanzo grunted, as his hand was crushed by Pein's grip. He quickly pulled away, nursing his hand while glaring at the realms. Seeing the vaguest reflection in the Human realm's eyes, he glanced back. The Deva realm stood behind him, ready and waiting, "So you can summon yourself then?"

Pein didn't reply, he simply watched Hanzo, waiting for the next move. He was curious about what his opponent would do, now that he could no longer perform hand seals.

Hanzo was only angered further by Pein's stoic attitude, but he knew it was too dangerous to try and fight from this position. But he also doubted he cold get out of it easily. He looked around, as he formulated a plan.

"Very well then." he sighed, pushing his respirator back in place with his uninjured hand. He then threw his head down, letting out a harsh exhale.

Each of the realm's eyes narrowed as black smoke suddenly burst from the respirator, blinding them. Deva realm leapt off the building, knowing that Hanzo would be trying to use the smoke as cover to escape. He turned around and watched the cloud, waiting for the first sign of his opponent. He hit the wall of the building opposite, and pressed his back against it.

The smoke cloud rose up, revealing Preta realm first, and then Human. But there was no sign of Hanzo, just a hole in the wall of the tower.

"Of course." Pein muttered, as he once again wondered what Hanzo was up to.

* * * * *

Naruto, Gaara and Haruka walked along the streets, taking their time as they went. Haruka looked around the empty buildings, up to the windows. The civilians were aware that the rain had stopped, but now they also realised that it was safer for them to stay indoors. That was good, though the constantly prying eyes were a little unnerving.

"Damn it, Jirou's sure making progress." Haruka muttered, running a hand through her hair. She then glanced back, looking mainly at Naruto, "We're lagging, you tired?"

"Nah… I'm fine." Naruto replied, though his breathing showed otherwise. All the Kage Bunshin and Futon Jutsu had taken a lot out of him, and his opponents hadn't been keen to let up. As it was, his legs felt more than a little heavy.

"Damn, you're exhausted." Haruka muttered, reaching into her pouch, "Here, eat this."

Naruto stared at the tiny brown pill in her hand, a blank look on his face.

"It's a ration pill." Haruka explained, with patience that according to Jirou meant she still had plenty of energy, "We can't afford to stop, so this is the next best thing."

Naruto glanced up at her, before gingerly reaching out and taking it between his fingers. As he studied it closer, Haruka reached into her pouch again.

"You need one too?" she asked, though considering the way his eyes were, it was hard to tell.

"I don't need things like that." Gaara replied, indifferently. Haruka just shrugged, taking her empty hand back out. She then turned to Naruto, who was still staring stupidly at the pill.

Feeling Gaara and Haruka's eyes on him, Naruto quickly made a decision and popped the pill into his mouth, letting it sit on his tongue. He then realised something, and gave Haruka a questioning look. She sighed.

"Chew it." She said, rolling her eyes. Naruto's expression turned to understanding, and he bit into the pill. Almost instantly, he regretted it.

"Urh… that's bitter." he grumbled, swallowing hard.

"Yeah yeah, suck it up." Haruka replied, turning and continuing, "Now come on."

Naruto nodded, following her as she sped up to a fast walk. But as he did so, he couldn't help but blink. The taste of that pill was still in his mouth, and he had a slight heated sensation in his throat, that was quite uncomfortable. After just a few moments of swallowing, his breath felt warmer as it passed his lips, as if he himself were increasing in temperature. It wasn't until he realised this, that he noticed he was also blinking faster, his eyes darting around slightly. What was going on?!

Up ahead, Haruka increased her pace further, turning from walking to running. Gaara joined easily, and after a moment, so did Naruto. He was surprised by how easy it was to keep up, despite the fact that he'd been ready to fall asleep just about anywhere a minute ago. But now, he seemed to be experiencing an unsettledness, like he just wasn't comfortable being still. A warm sweat began to gather on his joints, where the old sweat had cooled. It was a little jarring, but the longer it went on, the less Naruto cared. In the space of just a few seconds, he'd gone from running to sprinting.

"Hold on their rusher!" Haruka called, grabbing his collar as he passed her, "Don't burn that stuff off before you have to!"

"Huh? Right!" Naruto replied, slowing down a little. Haruka shook her head, she hadn't expected him to have this little restraint, "So how do you think he'll be doing?"

"Knowing Jirou, he's-" Haruka began, before her brow suddenly twitched in annoyance, "Actually, I'd rather not think about it."

Naruto looked at Haruka curiously, she had quite a scary look on her face right now. He hoped for Jirou's sake that whatever Haruka thought he was doing, he wasn't.

"Hey Gaara-san." Naruto said, slowing down to keep pace with him, "You got any more of those containers stashed around?"

Gaara glanced at Naruto, seemingly deciding if he felt like replying. In this case, Naruto was fortunate.

"I do." he answered, looking ahead again, "But it doesn't matter if we can't get close to them. And there are an abundance of Suiton users in the area."

"Oh." Naruto muttered, before grinning, "Well don't worry, I'll watch your back!"

Gaara looked at Naruto with restrained surprise, but the boy was already speeding up again. He found himself watching Naruto's cloak, billowing as they ran.

"He should be around here." Haruka said, looking at the opening to the left, "But be careful, he's got company."

Naruto and Gaara followed her as she came to the corner leading to the next street. She pressed her back against the damp wall, her head close to the edge. Naruto and Gaara stood in front of her, making sure neither could be seen by those in the next street. Then, slowly, they peered around the corner.

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"Aaand, one and two and three and four!" Jirou called, doing squats and other such exercises. In front of him, three enemy Shinobi and a Kunoichi followed his movements perfectly, all of whom wore expressions of pure rage on their faces. Each of them looked desperate to kill him, while Jirou himself seemed to be having the time of his life.

"What is he-" Naruto began, looking up at Haruka, "Huh?"

Somehow he'd failed to notice, but Haruka had disappeared. He glanced around, there was no sign of her. Then, getting an idea, he looked back into the street. Haruka dropped off the wall of a building, flying straight down to her team mate.

"JIROU!!!" she bellowed, smashing her fist into the back of his head, "QUIT SCREWING AROUND!!!"

Jirou fell flat on his face from the impact, each of the other nin staying in perfect synchronisation and hitting the ground as well.

"Whoa!" Jirou cried, looking round at Haruka in alarm, "Careful, you nearly broke my seal!"

"I break more than that if you keep this up!" Haruka growled in reply, "Now get a move on!"

"Ok! Ok!" Jirou hastily said, getting to his feet while maintaining his seal while the others stood too. He then moved through another series of seals, holding the last one, "Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu!"

Naruto watched in wonder as what looked like black hands suddenly spread across the enemy ninja's bodies, heading up to their heads. The hands reached out and gripped their throats, squeezing tight. Each of the nin gasped for air, as if they were really being strangled. Then suddenly, their eyes rolled back in their heads and they fell limp. Jirou released his seal and they fell to the ground, dead.

"Whoa…" Naruto breathed, stepping out into the street. Gaara walked with him as they rejoined Haruka and Jirou, the former berating the latter for acting stupidly.

"Come on, they ganged up on me!" Jirou said, in a poor defence, "Four on one was hardly fair, so I got revenge on them!"

"You're a ninja for crying out loud!" Haruka yelled, "Things aren't supposed to be fair!"

Naruto did what he could not to involve himself in their bickering, but his blood was still pumping pretty fast, and all the yelling was getting him excited.

"Shouldn't we be moving?" Gaara asked, saving Naruto the trouble, "We're not too far now."

Haruka let out a low sigh, before turning to the two younger Shinobi.

"Yeah, _we got a job to do_." she replied, giving Jirou a side wards glance that made him grin nervously, "Problem is Kohaku's pretty good at masking his chakra, so finding him won't be easy."

"He is probably the stealthiest." Jirou admitted, with a nod. Haruka shot Jirou a dangerous look.

"You. Are . A. Ninja." she slowly repeated, "Don't say stuff like that so casually!"

"Ok, ok, my bad!" Jirou quickly said, raising his hands in surrender, "He'll be heading to the tower, so we'll probably run into him on the way if we hurry."

"Fine, now let's go." Haruka said, in a voice that invited no challenge, and was definitely given none.

* * * * *

It was the Human realm who investigated, nearing the hole and looking within. It was difficult to resist the acrid smell of whatever Hanzo had used to break through the wall. Though whatever t was, it had both burned and melted the wall, the edges had taken on a glassy shine. Pein looked in through the darkness, the smoke rising around him.

He snapped back, just as a blue form darted out of the hole, its powerful jaws clamping on the air where the Human realm's head had been. It was another salamander, one the size and colour of a shark. Unlike Hitokage, this one had visible eyes, these ones dark and fast. And on its back, sitting on a black crest, was Hanzo, and another.

The man who sat behind Hanzo looked like nothing more than a simple guard. His head and eyebrows were shaved, kept clean and unhindered. He wore a tight black uniform, slacks and a jacket. Overall there was nothing remarkable about him at all. What was more, Pein new nothing of this stranger, but there was one certainty. Hanzo was incapable, so this man must have been the one to summon the salamander.

The salamander crawled rapidly out of the hole, clinging to the wall as it snapped at the retreating Human realm. The Preta realm also backed off, keeping a low stance as he watched Hanzo closely. The salamander detected their movements however, and darted downwards to the ground below. It lashed out with its tail in passing, forcing both the Preta and Human realm's to leap off the wall. They both joined the Deva realm on the other building as the salamander reached the ground, before the three of them dropped off the wall themselves. They landed all around the salamander, which whipped its head around and hissed angrily.

"With me!" Hanzo called, planting his hands upon the salamanders back. The salamander seemed to settle, before like Hitokage, it started to convulse, "Katon: Salamander Cannon!"

The salamander's mouth burst open and from it, flaming globs of its mucus fired out, arcing through the air at Pein's realms. Human and Preta both rolled out of the way, while Deva realm leapt up into the air above the beast and it's masters.

"Bansho Ten'in." he called, with his hand outstretched. The salamander and its riders looked around in alarm as they were suddenly ripped off the ground and thrown in the air. Deva realm passed them as they shot up, he landed behind the Preta realm. The Human realm moved in next, jumping into the air as the salamander descended again. With a quick kick, he sent the lizard flying into the nearby building, cracking the walls. Hanzo and his subordinate however, were unharmed.

The salamander landed on the ground, crumpling in a heap immediately. Hanzo and the other leapt off, landing on the ground a distance from the paths of Pein. Hanzo turned to face his associate with his respirator lowered, while the associate looked deep into his eyes. Then, shockingly, they both began forming hand seals, Hanzo borrowing the hand of the person with him.

"_What?!"_ Pein thought, watching closely. He read the seals, his eyes allowing him to see the pattern most could not. He knew exactly what Hanzo was doing, _"… but on _this _level…"_

Too interested to intervene, Pein simply prepared for the outcome, waiting until the two finished their seals. Then they bit into the thumbs of both their hands, before slamming them onto the ground.

"Grand Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" they called simultaneously. Then, they both disappeared in a wall of smoke so large, even Pein's bodies disappeared in moments. Though even now, interest filled Pein's mind more than caution.

"_It's good that Animal realm remains up there." _he thought, as hisses filled his ears, _"I will enjoy the view."_

Unbeknownst to Hanzo, through the Animal realm, Pein had all the other realms summoned away, leaving the Ame leader and his assistant to the aftermath of their actions. The smoke thinned out into the air, and slowly, Hanzo's Jutsu was revealed.

Salamanders. Dozens of salamanders. Varying in size and colour, an entire colony of the creatures filled the street, their hissing and beating tails was a storm of life. They all turned to the only warm shapes in the area, Hanzo and his assistant.

"FIND THE WARM ONES!" Hanzo yelled, "TRAP ALL WHO WALK THE STREETS, BUT KILL NO ONE!"

The salamanders immediately obeyed, scattering in every direction. Pein watched from above, a frown appearing on his brow.

"This is a problem." he muttered. He had many summoning contracts, but none provided a beast that could take on this number of opponents without endangering the civilians hiding in their homes. The Asura realm was still recovering, he was the only one suited for such a task. Therefore, he had no choice but to try Animal realm.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" the Animal realm called, placing his hand on the pipes behind him. A giant seal spread across the structure, and more smoke appeared. That cloud was soon destroyed though, as what looked like a giant bird burst through it.

The salamanders all turned their heads as they heard the bird's shrill screech. Though none of them could make it out perfectly, its murky brown body possessed three legs and wings, while it dirty yellow beak was almost as big as the rest of it. It possessed the chakra receiving pierces of Pein, and the Rinnegan that came along with it. It darted through the air at high speeds, making it hard for the salamanders to follow.

Pein looked through the eyes of the great bird, controlling it in the same way he did through his realms. The bird circled the tower, taking in the land below carefully. The salamanders quickly lost interest in their distant target, and had continued to storm the streets in a rush to seek heat.

"_Hmm… it seems the smaller ones do not require the sustenance of fire."_ Pein thought, _"That is troublesome."_

He circled the tower once more, before taking a high rise, followed by a sharp dive.

* * * * *

"Hey Jirou-san, what was that Jutsu you used?" Naruto asked, as the four of them ran through the empty streets. Jirou, who had removed his helmet, glanced at Haruka, but she was too far away to hear. Under that knowledge, he grinned at Naruto with a look of self importance.

"It's just a little something I… "acquired" over the years." he replied, before thumbing himself in the chest, "Inside Ame, I'm known as Jirou. But outside these walls, the call me the "Hiden Thief"!"

"Hiden Thief?" Naruto repeated, with a confused look.

"Yeah!" Jirou replied, "That one you saw there, was one of my prouder achievements, the Hiden Jutsu of Konohagakure's Nara clan!"

Naruto raised his brow in surprise. He knew he had seen that Jutsu somewhere, his old friend Shikamaru's dad had used something like that on him when Naruto had tried to break his grounded son out of his room.

"So you actually managed to get that?!" Naruto asked, recalling how desperately he'd tried to get Nara Shikaku to teach him that. Jirou gave a smug grin, before-

"_SHREEEEEEE!!!"_

Naruto's eyes flew to the sky, just like everyone else's. Through the buildings to the visible tower up ahead, a giant bird soared around the summit, its monstrous form shocking Naruto greatly.

"What the hell is that?!" Jirou yelled, taking a step forward.

"Hell if I know!" Haruka replied, with equal volume, "Is it a friendly?"

Naruto stared up at the giant bird, when he thought he caught sight of something. He narrowed his eyes, but he just couldn't make out for certain.

"Gaara-san-" he began, looking to the red haired boy. But he was already on it, his fingers held over his closed right eye.

"Give me a moment." he said, pausing slightly. Haruka and Jirou both looked at him curiously, wondering what it was he was doing. After the moment he asked for, his open eye met Naruto's, "It's him."

Naruto immediately looked skyward again, fixing his eyes back onto the bird. Now that he had Gaara's confirmation, those black spots were easier to make out.

"Him?" Haruka repeated, looking between the two, "Who?"

Naruto looked at Haruka in surprise, as he remembered that neither she nor Jirou knew about Pein. He immediately saw the risk of the situation, they thought Konan was their leader, for whatever reasons Pein had. He had to come up with a quick answer, to avoid suspicion.

"God's on our side." he replied, figuring what Konan would say in this situation.

"Moron."

He regretted it instantly. But as luck would have it, Haruka seemed to notice something.

"I can sense Kohaku!" she said, looking down the street, "And… he's fighting something, no, _things_!"

"Lead the way!" Jirou replied, quickly shoving his helmet back on. Haruka nodded, and the four of them began running again, following her closely. Feeling a sense of unease, Naruto drew Ekokaeten, who picked up on his agitation.

"Relax, this is gonna be fine!"

Naruto nodded, sincerely hoping the blade was right. He wasn't looking forward to encountering whatever it was that caused Haruka to react in such a way.


	39. To fade away

I think I may need to take a little breather here, things got a little intense. At least things will be able to calm down soon, I can't believe I managed to write so much about the events of a single day. Hardly constitutes as a war, does it? Ah well, shoulda called it a coup from the start. In any case, things are moving along just fine. Can't really think of much to say, though I guess that can happen after doing a lot of writing, huh? Anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't really get why so many people complain about the fillers in the anime. I can understand if you don't read the manga, but for those of us who do, they can be a nice surprise, even if the filler writers don't do as well as Masashi.

* * *

**To fade away**

Naruto, Gaara and Jirou ran after Haruka, the four of them sprinting down the street as they followed Kohaku's trail. As they steadily grew closer, Haruka became even more disconcerted, her brow creasing in disbelief.

"How many are there?!" she thought aloud, as they made another turning, "And just what the hell are they?!"

"What are you picking up?" Jirou asked, only the slight turning of his head revealing he was looking at her.

"It's strange, no doubt they're summoned beasts but…" Haruka began, her brow twitching as she concentrated, "But they're moving erratically, towards Kohaku _and_ the enemy nin."

"They're attacking both sides?!" Jirou exclaimed, with a bewildered look, "What the hell's going on?!"

"Guess we'll find out, they're over there!" Haruka replied, pointing out at the street up to the right. She and the others ran straight towards it, her and Jirou taking one side while Naruto and Gaara took the other. Both sides waited for a couple of seconds, before looking around.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE?!"

Naruto could hardly blame Eko for yelling out, it was a shocking sight indeed. Through the other end of the street, massive lizards scuttled around, hissing angrily at the comparatively small form of Kohaku that leapt around them. The immense beasts lunged angrily at him, their bodies of various colour and pattern dancing from the ground and walls.

"Come on!" Haruka said, charging in. Naruto and Gaara followed her, while Jirou stayed behind.

"I'll hang back!" he called, "The Kagemane no Jutsu is too hard to use on animals!"

"Right!" Haruka nodded, looking back, "Naruto, we need a distraction!"

"Got it!" Naruto replied, coming to a stop and planting the tip of Eko's blade between the slabs on the ground, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five clones appeared behind them, each with their own copy of Ekokaeten placed in the ground before them. Both Haruka and Gaara took to either side of him as the lizards suddenly noticed them.

"These are… Hanzo's salamanders?!" Haruka quietly exclaimed. She then looked at Kohaku, who had leapt through the air and landed beside her, "What's going on?"

"I'd like to know that too." Kohaku replied, not taking his eyes off the salamanders. He looked at the underside of his gauntlet, removing the box and looking inside, "I'm running out of senbon, but they're not doing much good anyway. This poison wasn't designed for cold blooded lizards."

"You should stay back then." Haruka advised, as the salamander's tongues licked the air, "Naruto's proven to be pretty good at keeping the enemy preoccupied."

"That's good, cos these guys act fast." Kohaku replied, taking slow steps back, "They can't tell people apart, I think they can only see our rough shape, they judge from that."

"Alright." Haruka nodded, as Kohaku took his time backing off.

The salamanders watched them, waiting for any signs of movement. They took a few steps forward, studying the group with cocked heads. One of the ones closest to the front flicked its tongue out, before letting out a dangerous hiss.

"Now Naruto!" Haruka called, whipping her head around.

"Futon: Reppusho!" rang out five voices, followed by a wide cone of wind that struck the salamanders hard, the closer ones being forced onto their hind legs. The Naruto's then each grabbed their out of the ground, charging at the momentarily confused lizards.

"HAAAAAAA!!!" they yelled, as the further back salamanders approached at astonishing speeds. The closer ones were dazed for but a moment longer, before they too joined in the fight.

Naruto jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding being struck by a tail that flew at his legs. He slashed out with his sword, and with the addition of some Futon chakra he sliced clean through it. The severed appendage fell to the floor, thrashing wildly. Naruto gave it a startled look as he landed on the ground, realising too late that the tail had served its purpose. The owner of the dismembered tail whipped around and snapped at him, spittle flying in his direction. He was lucky though, because at that moment one of the Kage Bunshin struck another salamander with a blast of wind, forcing it to collide with its brother. The two lizards rolled aside, while Naruto reoriented himself.

"Thanks!" he called, grinning to the clone that'd helped him.

"Any time!" the clone comically replied, before a salamander got between them. Naruto grabbed Eko and slashed at the monster, leaving a long slice along its body.

"AAA-AAH-AA-AH-ERRR!!!" the salamander screeched, snapping around to bite at Naruto. But Naruto managed to roll back out of the way, just as Haruka's shuriken decapitated the roaring beast. Naruto faced away as blood poured from the salamander's neck, he didn't really like the sight of it, lest of all in such high quantities. He sensed that one of his clones disappeared, and caught the faint wisps of smoke from the corner of his eye.

"Move out of the way." Gaara said, stepping past Naruto, who blinked in surprise. He hadn't even known Gaara had left the place he stood, never mind that he got this close. He wasn't one to argue however, in all probability it would be safer to retreat.

He leapt up to the wall on his left, before bounding off that to land next to Haruka. They both watched as the remaining clones attacked the salamanders, while a pair of the lizards tried their luck with Gaara. Neither could get past his barrier, the one behind him pressed upon it as it tried to break through. But neither could succeed, his rushing sand blocked their advances. The cork on his gourd popped off, and sand poured from it onto the ground. All the while Gaara stood, arms folded as he calmly looked around the salamanders. The sand continued to flow like water, pooling out around him and spreading to beneath the creatures as well. The salamanders looked down in confusion, feeling the sand without properly seeing it. To them, it must have felt like insects were swarming across their feet.

The salamander who had taken to pressing on Gaara's barrier raised its hind legs from the ground, putting its full weight on the sand as it stood atop it. Gaara looked up at the source of the looming shadow, his eyes narrowing as a small amount of sand crumbled and hit his cheek. He slowly raised his hand, as more sand scattered down onto him. Coolly, he placed his palm upon the sand, with no signs of pressure or tension. But even so, the sand reacted violently. Six thin spikes of sand burst through, skewering the salamander on the very ground it chose to rest.

"HERR-REH-HEH-HEH!!!" the lizard chirruped, the most sound it could muster through its pierced throat. The other salamanders felt the blood, heard its brother's cry and turned to look, both confused and wary looks on each of their slimy faces.

"So even to animals, he shows no compassion." Haruka muttered, as Gaara tossed the dying salamander aside. The others took umbrage at that, and their curious twittering turned into angry hisses, followed by a deep gargling sound.

"What are they-" Naruto began, but his question was answered for him.

The salamanders each opened their mouths, throwing their heads forward as the spat out large amounts of blue mucus, aiming straight for Gaara. The balls struck his sand shield, sticking fast to it, without sliding off or bursting. The creatures kept the assault coming, spitting more and more as Gaara's shield enveloped him further, until not even the sand could be seen.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Naruto asked, looking up at Haruka.

"You're the only one who's not doing anything!" Haruka replied, throwing her arm out. Naruto looked around in surprise. It was true, Jirou had his hands in a seal, with his shadow gripping several of the salamander's throats. Kohaku too was firing his senbon, aiming for the lizard's eyes and mouths. He really was the only one just standing there.

"Get a move on!"

Naruto nodded, gripping Eko tight and running forward. He reached the nearest one, one that Jirou had a gip on, and slashed.

* * * * *

Pein looked through the bird's eyes as he dove around the streets, stabbing into the bodies of the bigger salamanders with his oversized beak. Whenever he drew close, the beasts would try and capture him with their mucus projectiles. Pein weaved in and out, dodging them neatly as he swooped through and sent several salamanders's flying. He rose again as the further away ones tried to get him in passing, but he had gained too much speed for them to easily keep track.

He rose back to roof level, scanning the area for the elusive Hanzo. After the first couple of attacks, the salamanders really began to take notice, and were scaling the walls of the buildings in an attempt to get closer to him. Though they still had a way to go, they were steadily drawing nearer, a dangerous prospect.

"_It looks like I won't be able to use this summon for much longer."_ Pein thought, watching the ascending lizards closely, _"In which case, I must find Hanzo immediately."_

Despite saying that, it seemed like the person in question had disappeared completely. Even with the sharp eyes of the bird there were no signs. He had lost Hanzo in the rush of the masses, Ame's leader had eluded him once more.

"_What is he doing?"_ Pein thought, as he rose higher, _"Is he trying to make an escape? Or is he attempting to distract me fro-"_

Suddenly, from nowhere, Pein was struck by a flaming ball of mucus. It hit him from behind, instantly igniting the feathers, but also ensnaring the wings with the slime. Pein plummeted through the air, seeing the Hanzo and his salamander standing in the shadows of a building. But what Pein was interested in was not that he had managed to elude notice, but his chosen position.

After all, he was alarmingly close to his real body.

"_I see… of course."_ Pein thought, as the bird disappeared in a puff of smoke. A few buildings away, the Deva, Preta and Human realms landed on the rooftop, _"He is using the eyes of those salamanders to track my chakra."_

Preta realm took the lead, the Human and Deva realms taking a line formation behind him. The three bodies ran across the rooftops, as Hanzo's salamander started climbing onto the roof. Preta dodged to the right, hiding behind the jutting structure that led to the building's staircase. Human and Deva both dropped behind and air conditioning unit, Human realm crouching while Deva sat. The salamander looked in their direction, cocking its head curiously. As the rest of it appeared, so did Hanzo and his subordinate, both of whom were keeping their eyes open for any signs of movement. Pein listened to each soft footstep, for such large beasts the salamanders stepped very lightly. The tail running across the ground however, was a more obvious sign.

Preta realm burst from cover, charging straight at the salamander with no attempt at masking his intention. He was immediately spotted, Hanzo and the salamander working quickly on their defence. Hanzo placed his hands on the salamander's back as the beast quivered. Then it opened its mouth, and a column of blue fire shot out, straight for Preta.

"_That won't work."_ Pein thought, coming to a stop. Preta raised both his hands, just as the flames reached him. but they never got any further than his palms, the fire seemed to stop there, the remaining liquid from the salamander's attack rising as steam. But the attack was continuous, and because of its size Hanzo was completely unaware of the attack's effectiveness.

Human realm broke out next, running straight behind Preta. He then leapt into the air, kicking off the braced back of Preta and leaping into the air. Hanzo saw the form jump over the flames, a shocked expression on his face. Pein threw Human realm's fist straight at Hanzo, who only had time to raise his hands in defence. Hanzo's subordinate however, had a better chance. He reached out and grabbed Hanzo by the shoulder, pulling him back as he jumped off the salamander, which caught Human realm's attack instead. The lizard cried out in shock, its bursting fire subsiding instantly. Preta lowered his arms, unharmed from the attack.

As soon as Hanzo had regained his sense of balance, he gruffly brushed off his subordinate's hand, before running straight at Human realm, who looked with interest.

"_Ah, finally facing me then?"_ Pein thought, taking a defensive stance.

Hanzo leapt into the air, aiming a spinning kick for Pein's head. But the Human realm simply grabbed the leg, instantly tightening his grip. Hanzo responded quickly however, twisting round to lash out with his other leg. Pein blocked it with his arm, though was jolted to his left a little. Hanzo used that momentum to bend back and flip over, tossing Human realm overhead. But Pein landed on his feet, sliding back only half a metre. He charged at Hanzo, who was now forced on the defensive.

"Hanzo-sama!" his subordinate called, stepping forward. But his movements were then restrained as Preta realm appeared and grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms over his head.

"It appears you healed Hanzo's hand." Pein said, speaking into the Shinobi's ear, "You are certainly a useful asset to him."

The Shinobi suddenly jerked as he felt his chakra being drained from his body. He slowly turned his head back, wincing as he glared at Pein.

"Bastard." he growled through gritted teeth, "Get off me!"

"It seems though that you have used quite a bit of your chakra." Pein continued, tightening his grip and causing the Shinobi to groan in pain, "That summoning used too much."

Hanzo glanced at the Preta realm and his subordinate, his brow twitching in annoyance at how easily that person had been captured. He then returned his attention to Human realm, who was reaching out to grasp his head. But Hanzo easily countered the assault, upper cutting the hand and stabbing out with his straight hand.

"Your Taijutsu skills are certainly admirable." Pein commented, as he knocked Hanzo's hand out of the way while dodging to the right.

"And yours are poor!" Hanzo replied, whipping his leg at the Human realm's side.

"Is that so?" Pein asked, as he grabbed Hanzo's leg just before it struck his side.

"It is!" Hanzo yelled, using his other foot to kick off Human's chest. Then, while still in the air, he made a half turn and hooked his caught leg on Pein's shoulder. With the gathered momentum, he rolled across the ground, throwing the Human realm onto his back and breaking his arm, "You have nowhere near the experience to take me on!"

Hanzo raised his fist, and brought it down on the Human realm hard. But before he could finish the realm, he caught a glimpse of a shadow from the corner of his eye. He looked around, just in time to see Deva realm bearing down on him, gripping a long black rod in his hand.

* * * * *

"HUH!" Naruto grunted, as one of the salamanders slammed their tail into his chest. Right away he was taken off his feet, sent flying down into a very damp alleyway. He rolled across the ground, the many small stone slabs feeling like collected punches to his ribs and arms. He came to a stop, fortunately just before an open manhole. He grabbed his chest, though it seemed that nothing was broken. That was good, he didn't want to think about what would happen if he was incapacitated while those creatures were running around.

"Come on, get up!"

Naruto winced as he rolled onto his front. Though nothing was broken, he was pretty sure he had received some severe bruising. He pushed himself up onto his knee, still trying to catch his breath. He looked out into the street, Gaara was free of the mucus and was attacking the salamanders with quick strikes of his sand. Haruka had also taken to close combat, though that was news to Naruto, so she had probably done so because of what happened to him.

"Yo, you're not injured are you?"

"Nah, nothing serious." Naruto replied, getting back to his feet. He took a second longer to catch his breath, before making his way back to the street.

A low hiss from above shocked him, he barely missed getting hit as a salamander dropped from the wall above him. It was a smaller one than the rest, but somehow it looked more lethal too. Its skin was very pale, almost translucent. It had a pink crest that ran across its back, looking more like a weak bruise than skin pigmentation. Despite its weak appearance though, it seemed very agile. It turned it head quickly from left to right, watching Naruto with its shining black eyes. Naruto stared back, Eko gripped tightly.

"_Wait for it…"_ he thought, turning his blade very slowly, until the point was aimed at the beast. Of course, the motion didn't go unnoticed, the salamander lowered its head cautiously, releasing a prolonged hiss in the process.

The salamander opened its mouth slowly, as if letting out a long yawn. Naruto's brow creased further, it didn't look like it was about to spit mucus at him or anything. It wasn't making the associated movements, like convulsing. But he didn't relax, he needed to stay completely-

_SHFEWT!_

It was without a doubt, the most disgusting thing Naruto had ever experienced in all his life. In an instant, before he could even no it was happening, the salamander's tongue fired out of its mouth, smacking Naruto straight in the face with its sticky touch. The impact sent him reeling back, shock making him drop Eko as he tripped and fell back on the ground.

The beast was immediately on top of him, its underbelly keeping him pinned to the ground. Its freezing cold body almost made Naruto numb, short of sticking his hand in ice he had experienced few things colder. Everything from his chest down was trapped, and steadily he was losing the power to struggle.

He suddenly froze, as once more the large round eyes looked down at him. the salamander lowered its head, watching Naruto with almost childish curiosity. But that notion was short lived, as once more the creature opened its mouth. From this position, Naruto got a very clear view of something he really wished wasn't what he thought it was. Attached to the roof of the salamander's mouth was a very sharp looking piece of bone, which seemed indecisive of whether it was coming or going. he didn't have any doubt about its purpose, he became more desperate than ever to break free.

He tried to push the salamander off, pressing his hands against the creature's body and putting all his effort into it. But the slimy body made friction impossible, his hands slid off right away. What was more, the animal seemed to grow agitated from his resistance, twittering angrily and causing that spear in its mouth to shake.

Suddenly, the bone flickered out, stabbing straight at Naruto's head. If it had been just a little slower, he would have cried out. But it was so fast, he didn't see it until it was fully exposed.

He'd been lucky though, for the bone struck the metal of his forehead, the tip cracking from the impact. But the bone simply retracted, and the salamander shifted to try again.

"_Damn it!"_ Naruto thought, quickly clasping his hands, "Futon: Reppusho!"

Despite the weight, at point blank range even this salamander was thrown off, though not far. The relief hit Naruto immediately though, and he stumbled to his feet before grabbing Eko. He wasted no time in running at the momentarily confused lizard, who looked up at him and opened its mouth to strike again. Naruto struck first, stabbing it in the head in a downwards thrust.

"EERAH!!!" the salamander cried, as its blood slipped out of the wound. It died quickly, slumping on the floor. Naruto stared down at it, breathing heavily.

"!!!"

Naruto blinked in surprise, before gripping Eko's hilt and pulling hard. He stumbled back as blood spurted from the dead lizard's wound, but soon regained his footing.

"How many times, if you're gonna stab, DON'T LEAVE ME IN THERE!!!"

Naruto would have apologised, but he was too out of breath. He bent over, pressing his hands against his knees as he let out a huge sigh of relief. Eko seemed to pick up on this and calmed down, though there were still some signs of contemptuousness.

After a few moments, Naruto felt better again. He straightened up, wiping his brow with his free hand while the other placed Eko back in his sheath. He looked on ahead, it seemed that most of the salamanders had been taken care of. After each on died, they disappeared in a puff of smoke, like the one before Naruto just did. He was sort of glad about that, at least there was no room for confusion.

Once more he began to make his way back to the others, the ration pill from before kept him from being tired despite his aching lungs. He saw Gaara up ahead, finishing off the remaining salamander by crushing its head with sand. The red haired boy then looked over at Naruto, his eyes widening.

_SHFEWT!_

For just a moment, Naruto and Gaara shared the same expression of shock, even though Naruto took a moment longer to develop it. It wasn't until he felt the impact in his back that he realised why Gaara had reacted at all, and not until he felt himself get pulled off his feet that he realised how bad things were. Behind him, another salamander had risen from the sewer pipe, and struck him with its tongue. It was bigger than the one Naruto took care of, and easily strong enough to reel him in. but by the time he had realised his, he was already between the creatures jaws.

* * * * *

The Deva realm bore down on Hanzo, ready to stab him with the chakra receiver gripped in his hand. Hanzo stared up at him in shock, the look in his eyes telling Pein what he already knew; there was no way he could stop this.

_Bah-doom!_

Here, back at the tower, and in the shadows, every path of Pein and even Nagato's eyes widened in shock. Deva realm stumbled, falling over Human realm and landing on his knees. He stared down at the ground, his jaw clenched tight just like all the others.

"_This pain…"_ he thought, reaching for his stomach, _"What is happening?!"_

Behind him, Hanzo gave a startled look. But he didn't waste the opportunity, he quickly got to his feet and pulled out a kunai, bringing it down upon Deva realm before the chance was gone.

But it was too late. Deva grabbed his kunai wielding hand, and pulled Hanzo to the ground. In an instant he had his grip on Hanzo's collar, while his free hand grasped Hanzo's face. His eyes were of a man who was in a situation he new nothing of, and certainly wanted no part in. The time for playing was over.

"Shinra Tensei."


	40. The clearing clouds, the coming fog

Damn, it took me hours to figure out how to get past that proccessing error. I had to use an already uploaded file, erase everything in there before copying and pasting from my word document. That hasn't exactly been effective in the past though, so if there are any problems please let me know. Also, after some consideration I decided to boost this to an "M" rating, just to be on the safe side. Aside from that, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Didn't expect to reveal so much so soon, but it seemed that it would fit better here than when I intended to use it.

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* * *

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**The clearing clouds, the coming fog**

Pain, great and terrible pain. He couldn't imagine it, only relive it, his skin getting ripped apart as great fangs ripped into his body. He struggled hard, one foot on the roof of the beast's mouth and the other gripping the fang in his chest. He also had his foot pressing down one the beast's jaw, putting all his weakening might into keeping the mouth as open as possible. If not for that, he'd most likely be in two pieces now. Thought wasn't allowed in this moment, he could only react. He pressed his left hand against the salamander's gums and dropped his right one to his weapons holster, pulling out a kunai. He stabbed into the roof of the creature's mouth, stabbing, stabbing, as relentless as the daggers that stabbed into him. But it only seemed to give the beast renewed determination, he felt his leg being pushed up and his arm getting lowered, the teeth digging in further, until…

"AGH!!!" Naruto yelled, snapping upright. But pain instantly forced him onto his back again, his heart pounding and breath forcing its way in and out of his lungs. His screwed up eyes kept him from seeing his surroundings, and the pain in his chest and back kept him from wondering why he no longer felt like he was being impaled.

"Are you ok?!" he heard a girl's voice cry, and he felt a soft hand touch his arm. Forcibly, he opened his eyes, long purple hair hazily coming into view.

"Huh?" he breathed, as the rest of the girl above him became clearer, "Yu-Yuuka-chan?"

Yuuka looked down at him with deep concern in her worried eyes. He looked up at her, vaguely seeing his own reflection in the shining blue circles. He really looked a mess.

"Where am I?" he asked, his awareness still affected by the confusion in his mind, "What's going on?"

"You're in your room." Yuuka replied, still looking uncertain, "My father did his best to fix you up, and brought you here."

Naruto stared for a second longer, before glancing around. It was true, he was back in the tower, in his bed. But he still couldn't completely make sense of things.

"But what-" he began, as he tried to sit up. But Yuuka quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him down.

"You're still badly injured." she said, "Father did what he could, but you need rest."

Naruto stared in surprise at her, such forcefulness didn't really belong with her. But he did as he was told, and lowered his head back onto his pillow.

"Man, you're so troublesome." Rika said, looking down at him with an annoyed expression.

"WAH!" Naruto cried, nearly snapping up again. But Rika had a firm grip on his shoulders now, keeping his head on her lap, "R-Rika-chan?!"

"What?" Rika asked, looking at him huffily, "Something wrong Na-ru-to?"

Naruto stared up at her, confused by the emphasis she put on his name. After a moments thought though, he realised that that was the first time she'd actually called him by name, and all of a sudden he found himself grinning.

"See, I can remember it." Rika pouted, looking away with a red tint to her cheeks.

"After father brought you here, Rika-chan suggested we take care of you." Yuuka said, looking at Naruto with a smile.

"Huh- I DID NOT!" Rika exclaimed hotly, glaring at Yuuka, "Don't say things like that!"

"Huh, but you-" Yuuka began, with a surprised look.

"I. Did. Not." Rika repeated, dangerously. Naruto looked between the two with uninhibited confusion. In doing so, he spotted Eko, who was resting against the wall by the bed.

"She did."

Naruto raised a brow, and slowly looked up at Rika, who looked back at him. He grinned even broader than before, and her face turned scarlet. She looked away, glaring at the wall.

"How was I supposed to get my training if you were shut up in a hospital?!" she demanded, but that didn't dampen Naruto's spirits in the slightest. But now that he looked closer, he could see that Rika had dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed to be swaying slightly. He then looked at Yuuka, who seemed to be completely fine.

"You look terrible." Naruto said, looking at Rika once more. She gasped, and gave him an affronted look.

"See if I ever help you out again!" she shouted, "After all that I did, helping put the bandages on, getting you changed-"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, raising his quilt. Instead of his usual clothes, he was in a pair of blue and white pinstriped pyjamas. He looked back up at Rika, who wasn't daring to look back at him. Suddenly, their skin tone matched.

The three of them then turned their heads as the door to the hall opened, and Kohaku stepped in. He no longer wore his uniform, instead he was in casual wear of a blue jumper and slacks. He looked over the three of them, before jerking his head to the door.

"Rika, there's a bed made up for you next door." he said, "Go get some sleep. And go get something to eat Yuuka, I need to talk to Naruto-san."

Yuuka nodded, getting to her feet.

"I'll come back later with something for you Naruto-san." she said, bowing, "I'm not sure you should be eating ramen in your condition."

"Uh, ok." Naruto said, at a loss for a reaction. Yuuka smiled again, before turning and leaving. Rika however, stayed her ground, earning a tired look from Kohaku.

"Come on, don't be stubborn." he said, though in a more pleading than authoritative. Rika stared crossly for a moment longer, before shuffling off the bed, Naruto's head dropping onto the real pillow. When she was gone, Kohaku closed the door and took the seat Yuuka had been using. He then looked at Naruto with a frown, studying his face in an almost interrogating manner.

"Those two were pretty worried about you." he said, in a calm voice, though with an undertone of suspicion, "Why do I feel there's a reason you know both me and my daughters?"

Naruto stared at Kohaku with a raised brow, surprised by how sharply he had caught onto that. He gave him a sheepish look, one which earned him no reward.

"Well… they're sort of the reason Gaara and I were put in your squad." he explained, trying not to reveal anything that might cause and awkward situation, "Yuuka-chan was worried, so I thought about what I could do."

Kohaku's brow creased further, giving Naruto close scrutiny.

"Ok… so now I'm curious about how it is you're so close to them." he said, "Leaving aside just what you and Yuuka talked about, how is it that you are close to _both_ of them, yet I know nothing other than what you and Pein-sama have told me?"

"Uh, well…" Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head nervously, "That's kinda hard to explain, I'm not really sure myself."

Kohaku looked at Naruto for a moment longer, before dropping his gaze and sighing.

"Probably Rika then, am I right?" he asked. After Naruto gave him a nod of confirmation, he shook his head, "She really is quite a troublemaker."

Naruto couldn't suppress a smile, knowing that Eko didn't share his sentiment. Kohaku caught his look and grinned himself.

"Sorry about the grilling." he said, resting his arms on his knees, "It's a father's habit of being over-protective, especially when it comes to a situation like this."

"It's ok." Naruto replied, sincerely, "I'm kind of jealous of them."

Kohaku shot him a surprised look, before dropping it again.

"I see, so that's your situation huh?" he asked, "I kinda wondered how you could leave Konoha if…"

"If there was someone there waiting for me?" Naruto finished, with a smile, "Nah, I never knew my parents. I still don't know anything about them."

Kohaku watched Naruto, looking into his eyes for something that wasn't showing on his face. If he saw anything though, he gave no sign of it. Instead, he just stood for a moment, moved Eko aside and pushed the chair against the wall. He sat back down again, before reaching inside his pocket. He pulled out an old leather wallet, opening it and digging his fingers into one of the folds.

"Here." he said, handing something over to Naruto, who accepted it with a curious expression. He sat up before looking at the object in his hands, it was an old photograph folded in half. He opened it up, and looked at the image in surprise.

It was a family of six that looked up at him, each person smiling warmly. Kohaku was sitting on a chair with a big grin, while a very young Rika and Yuuka sat on his knees. While Kohaku looked almost exactly the same, the two girls both had their lavender hair cut to shoulder length. They both gave innocent smiles, the likes one of the two probably never wore these days. Next to Kohaku stood a woman who was undoubtedly Rika and Yuuka's mother, their resemblance uncanny. She stood with her hair parted on either side of her face, falling down her back. She wore a simple blue sweater, the collar reaching up to her neck. Whatever she wore on her lower half however, was obscured by the two boys that stood in front of her. Surprisingly, they two were identical twins, just like their younger sisters. Though unlike their sisters, the more closely resembled their father, with the same pale hair and round faces Kohaku had. They however, had their mother's dark eyes in place of Kohaku's blue. They both wore simple shirts and shorts, their grins also inherited from their father.

Naruto looked up at Kohaku, his brow even higher than when he'd started looking. Kohaku smiled, before reaching out for the photo and taking it back. He looked at it nostalgically, with a far away look in his eyes.

"Twins really did run in the family." he said, his voice suggesting he could have been speaking to anyone right now, and not Naruto in particular, "Their mother's family had birthed twins for generations, it was a strange phenomenon in its own way. But my wife, Kazue, was born an only child. Her brother was stillborn. Her parents were strong though, they were both ninja. But the clan she was born into specialised in the twins fighting together, it was their entire style. For that reason, she never trained in the ninja arts. But when we had our sons, and they became of age to learn how to become Shinobi, Kazue wanted them to be taught by her parents, as a way to make up for not being able to be taught herself. I didn't want to say no to her, so I let her go ahead with it."

He put the picture safely back in his wallet, and replaced that in his pocket, before looking out the window with his eyes exactly the same.

"Unfortunately though, Kazue died a few years later." he continued, as Naruto listened silently, "It was about then that Rika started acting out, though Yuuka took on the grownup role I didn't want her have for years yet. I was devastated by Kazue's death, but I was a Shinobi, I couldn't let it get in the way of my duty. Maybe that was unhealthy, but I had to be strong for both Rika and Yuuka's sakes."

He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. But after a while, he just seemed to drift off into his memories. Naruto didn't want to disturb him when he looked like this, but after finding out so much, he wanted to know more.

"Does… this have anything to do with why you didn't want Haruka-san and the others to know what I was doing?" he asked. Kohaku looked at him, before lowering his eyes with shame.

"Yeah..." he replied, in a soft voice. He leant forward again, staring at the floor with his hands gripping each other, "You remember what I told you, in the basement?"

"About the team?" Naruto asked, as he thought back.

"Yeah, that's right." Kohaku nodded, before bowing his head further, "I guess I have to apologise to you, for saying such things. I'm the last person with the right to speak."

"Huh?" Naruto exhaled, cocking his head. Kohaku raised his head slightly, his hair hanging over his eyes.

"I told you that when you're in a team, you have to be willing to sacrifice your own life for the sake of your comrades." he explained, "But when you asked to look for Rika and Yuuka, I forgot my own words. I sent you and Gaara-san out with Haruka, putting you in unnecessary risk. It's because of that decision that you're in this condition. If we had stuck together from the start, then we could have dealt with those salamanders better. But I went on ahead, and in the end had no choice but to rely on you to do what I couldn't. So this is my fault, my own selfishness nearly killed you, a member of my team. For that reason, I am very, truly sorry."

He bowed his head, unable to look Naruto in the eye. Naruto looked back at him, sensing the man's depression. He had listened to every word, and heard everything. He raised his head, resting it against the wall.

"Yuuka-chan told me about why you made her and Rika-chan quit the academy." he said, receiving Kohaku's immediate attention, "You were worried that they would get forced to fight, and maybe get killed, weren't you?"

Kohaku looked at Naruto through his hanging hair, his eyes wide while the boy's were kind. He gave a small nod, unsure of what was going to be said. Naruto smiled at him.

"I think someone who's willing to fight, so that the people close to them won't have to, is a good person." he said, thinking of Naomi and Aiko, "I don't know much about war, and probably only saw a little of it back there. I don't have a lot of experience, and I'm not as strong as a lot of the people I've met. But if there's someone I know who doesn't want to fight, then I'll fight for them. Even if the enemy is a lot stronger than me, because it's the right thing to do."

Kohaku stared at Naruto, slowly raising his head. He seemed uncertain about how to react, a little dumbstruck. And when Naruto grinned at him, he couldn't help but feel more confused.

"So I don't have any right to be mad at you, since you're already the kind of person I want to be." he said.

Kohaku's eyes widened for a moment, before almost closing. He got to his feet, turning away.

"You've got it backwards." he said, surprising Naruto into dropping his expression, "I'm not someone who should be looked up to… After all, it wasn't my life I put at risk back there."

Naruto watched Kohaku's back, as he made his way to the door. He paused however, his hand on the handle.

"Neither of my sons know what happened to their mother." he said, giving Naruto a sideward look, "They disappeared one day, on a mission."

"Disappeared?" Naruto repeated. He looked Kohaku in the eye, a feat that couldn't be returned.

"Yeah." he confirmed, with a small smile, "I'm pretty sure they're still alive though. I want to find them, to let them know about what happened."

He paused for a second, looking like he was about to say more. But then he decided against it, and opened the door, stepping out.

"Hey." Naruto said, causing Kohaku to pause and look questioningly at him, "Your sons… what are their names?"

Kohaku faltered for a moment, a look of astonishment on his face. But it soon settled, the distant look returning.

"Their names?" he repeated, "Sakon… and Ukon…"

* * * * *

Down in the lower reaches of the tower, light shone from the glass pane of a door into the otherwise pitch black hallway. On the other side of the glass, the Asura realm lay upon a metal table, both of his eyes sharing the steel like quality of the structure beneath him. Not far him his position, the body of Uchiha Madara lay, with the eye on his right side missing. The Deva realm was the only body there with any awareness at all, standing between the two corpses. Up ahead, fluorescent lights reflected off the metal all around in a way that would give most people a migraine. But that was no problem for the Deva realm. After all, none of the realms were capable of feeling pain.

_"Or so I thought."_

Pein looked down at the Asura realm, and then over at Madara, as if trying to decipher a code of ink on black paper. He looked, but saw nothing.

He stepped closer to the Asura realm, standing at the giant body's head. He looked down at it, into both its open eyes. At the other end, Konan looked up at him, her expression revealing nothing.

"Is it ok to be doing this now?" she asked, "With Hanzo dead, shouldn't we be moving to take control over Ame?"

"Wasn't it you who showed so much concern about this?" Pein countered, looking up at her sceptically, "After what happened back there, I must know the answer."

"But if that was what happened, wouldn't it be better to just get rid of the eye?" Konan rebutted, "You can't afford to get distracted like that, it's too dangerous."

"You worry too much."

"Because you don't!"

Pein sighed, stepping around the table towards Konan. He looked her in the eyes, seeing her clear concern.

"This was simply a miscalculation." he said, calmly, "I didn't predict that the connection between the Jinchuriki and I would be this strong. But now that I'm aware of it, I can stop that from happening again."

"Why do you need this power?" Konan asked, pressing the subject, "Aren't Naruto-san and Gaara-san enough to bring the other Jinchuriki in?"

"There are many secrets hidden in Madara's Sharingan that we never knew." Pein replied, "For one thing, do you know that as long as I can see the moon, I can locate anything that is within the moon's view?"

"What?!" Konan exclaimed, in a hushed tone, "How is that possible?!"

"They say it is the Rikudo Sennin that created the moon." Pein explained, stepping back to the other side of the table, "And according to the tablet, he also placed the Jubi into orbit to "watch the world from afar". What I believe is that he did both at the same time, that the Jubi's body is in fact imprisoned within the moon."

Konan watched him with a pensive expression, his logic steadily getting through to her. He noticed this and allowed a small smile.

"Now the next question would be, what is the connection between the Sharingan and the Jubi?" he continued, seeing in her eyes that Konan thought exactly that, "Well, to answer that question, we must look to how the Uchiha came into existence. The Sharingan came when the Rikudo Sennin passed the power of his eyes onto one of his sons. But instead of his own eyes, it was the Sharingan that the son received, while the other son gained the Sennin's chakra. The Sharingan and the Rinnegan may have similarities, but they both possess features the other does not. For one thing, the instinctual perceptiveness of the Sharingan does not belong in the Rinnegan, while the Rinnegan's knowledgeable understanding of chakra is not with the Sharingan. My theory then is that the Sharingan was not possessed by the Sennin, but the Jubi."

"The Jubi?" Konan repeated, a look of miscomprehension on her face, "So then the Jubi's chakra is inside the Uchiha?"

"Rather, the Uchiha have evolved from that chakra." Pein corrected, bending over and looking into the Asura realm's Sharingan eye, "In which case, the Uchiha are more closely linked with the Jubi than the Sennin, at least in terms of chakra. Hm, perhaps I should be wary of Itachi-san."

He intended that comment to sound like a joke, though as was common with him, it sounded deadly serious. Konan realised this, but it still brought forward a bit of worry in her mind.

"What if that's really the case?" she asked, her expression matching her thoughts, "You told me before that the two clans born from the Sennin became the Uchiha and Senju. By what you're saying, their rivalry was just a continuation of the battle between the Rikudo Sennin and the Jubi."

Pein looked up from studying the Sharingan, revealing a look Konan very rarely saw on his face; surprise.

"A continuation of their battle?" he repeated, studying Konan's eyes with interest, "Yes, I believe you're right. I'm surprised I didn't realise that myself."

He straightened up, and began pacing along the wall of the morgue, looking at nothing in particular, though clearly in deep thought.

"The Rikudo Sennin and the Jubi's battle was not a single event, but is in fact an ongoing conflict even today." he mused, before smirking, "At least, it was. However, there are only two Uchiha left in this world, since the massacre in Konohagakure."

Pein came to a stop, looking at the floor with a smile on his face.

"Itachi-san…" he muttered, "You are a _very_ interesting person."

* * * * *

Naruto lay in his bed, staring up at his ceiling. He still wasn't sure how long he'd been here, how long it had been since the coup ended. He hadn't thought to ask, but in truth he supposed it didn't really matter. His thoughts past back to what Kohaku had said to him, and he was feeling more than a little troubled.

He rolled over onto his side, one of the few movements he could manage without his body's complaint. He stared over at the wall opposite, studying the map that revealed a distant land outside the five nations. There was nothing here he recognised, geography at the academy never ventured past the nations.

_"I guess, now that this is over, it's back to training."_ he thought, _"I'm nowhere near strong enough to get the others, and I can't really say that Gaara-san will be willing to help."_

"Hey Naruto, can I ask you something?"

Naruto looked up at Eko in surprise, wondering what could be on the katana's mind.

"What's up?" he asked, watching the blade curiously.

"You told Kohaku that you never knew your parents. Is that the truth?"

"Yeah, I don't have a clue about them." Naruto replied, without feeling any sadness, "If they're alive, or dead, I don't know."

Eko listened to his reply, and remained silent for a while after that. Despite this, Naruto never took his eyes off him.

"Then… you remember when we first met, back in the cave? How come you never asked?"

"Huh?" Naruto exhaled, clearly confused.

"When Kisame no Danna mentioned your name was Uzumaki Naruto, and I reacted like that, how come you weren't curious?"

Naruto blinked, as he recalled that time. It was true that he had thought it strange back then, but then again…

"To be honest, I was kinda more surprised about the talking katana thing." he replied, rolling back onto his back, "I guess it just slipped my mind."

"Then… what about now?"

Naruto stared at his ceiling, fixing his eyes on the red paint that covered it. The shadows in the corner grew steadily larger as the sun shrank behind the buildings. The ceiling became darker, and his grip on his pillow tightened.

"Yeah…" he said, in a quiet voice, "I wanna know…"


	41. Centre of the spiral

This chapter was actually quite enjoyable to write, it's nice to get away from Naruto's melancholies every now and then. I can hardly wait for the timeskip, when I can drop the melancholy for NO APPARENT REASON!!! Ah, timeskips are great, even if they do entice laziness. At least this isn't another cliffhanger, from what I hear you've all been getting sick of those. Anyway, here we go.

Disclaimer: Maybe things will be able to go a little more peacefully now the war arc is over... maybe.

* * *

**Centre of the spiral**

The heavy sound of hammer clanging on metal filled the dark room, resonating against the stone walls and magnifying many times over. The amber light of fire and glowing steel took the colour of the room and turned it to orange and black. The acrid smell of ash and sulphur cast around with many more unidentifiable scents, though none of them were pleasant. With each strike of the hammer, sparks burst from the searing metal, falling down like shooting stars. Each resounding clang was partnered with a deep grunt of effort, as the sweat of the blacksmith ran down his skin and dampened his clothes.

"HAGH!" he cried, striking again, "HAGH… HAGH… HAGH!"

He took a pair of worn tongs resting against the side of the anvil in his gloved hands, and used it to lift the lambent strip of metal. As he turned to his left to the barrel of water, the door behind him opened.

"You're late Uzumaki!" he grunted, lowering the metal into the water just in time to block his assistant's excuse with the angry hiss of steam, "Just get to work!"

"Sure thing boss!" Uzumaki replied, giving a mock salute. The blacksmith watched him from the corner of his eye as his young apprentice closed the door and reached for his apron, he was certainly an enthusiastic boy if anything was to be said.

"Clean the pile over there." he said, nodding gruffly towards a small mound of what looked like small sword blades laid at the other side of the room, "Those tanto blades need to be complete and pristine by tomorrow, or our contract will be "renegotiated"."

Uzumaki couldn't help but grin at his master's emphasis on that last word. He was a tough man, his burly frame and thick grey beard only served to highlight that fact though. Despite how hard he was on Uzumaki, he was well respected by the fiery apprentice, who sought to take over the business one day.

"What's with the massive pile, did _every_ ninja lose their blade?!" Uzumaki groaned, as he crouched down next to the dusty steel.

"This is just the way it goes, get used to it." the blacksmith replied, as he placed the now adequately cooled blade back on the anvil, "You don't get money for- god damn it!"

He raised his sleeve to his face and rubbed hard, the cloth of his thick blue shirt taking on the grime as he made a poor attempt at nursing his itching eyes. Uzumaki glanced up at him before shaking his head. He got to his feet and reached for the rack he'd grabbed his apron from. Hanging from it were two pairs of goggles, which he took in his hands.

"Blinding yourself isn't gonna make the blades any sharper!" he said, handing a pair to his master.

"Yeah, but neither does these damn things." the blacksmith grumbled, pulling the goggles on, "If they're not condensing, their getting grime all over them, useless pieces of plastic."

"Heh, I guess you got a point there." Uzumaki said, with a broad grin, "In fact, why don't you take them off? The sooner you blind yourself the sooner I inherit this place!"

The blacksmith looked at Uzumaki, before letting out a thunderous laugh that made his chest heave like a bomb had gone off inside. The well built man thumped Uzumaki in the back with his open palm, winding the boy and causing him to inhale dust and ash. His heavy coughs forced him to bend over, his hands on his knees as his body tried hard to get the offensive dirt back out.

"You're a slacker but I gotta admire your ambition!" the blacksmith announced, when his roars finally subsided, "Alright I hear ya, it'll give me nightmares thinking about what an idiot like you would to this place!"

"Well you don't have to put it like that." Uzumaki said, as he finally caught his breath. He straightened up and ran a hand through his short red hair, looking sheepishly to his boss, "Besides, I'm still a rookie."

"Damn right you are." his master agreed, picking up his mallet again, "Now come on, get to work. What do I pay you for?"

"Hai hai." Uzumaki sighed, setting back down beside the blades. He reached out for a nearby case, which contained the necessary materials for cleaning a blade. He set to work, as his master went about his.

The two kept relatively quiet as they performed their tasks, since the blacksmith preferred to put all his attention into the job he was doing. Slowly, the pile of blades to be cleaned decreased, as the amount to be made increased. It was a peaceful harmony, even amidst the clash of stone on steel and fire on shadow. There was seldom a pair more at ease than the blacksmith and his apprentice, eking out a peaceful existence without many troubles more than the odd deadline coming their way. Uzumaki was certainly happy with it, he had no real desire for change. This calm remained for two hours, when the apprentice took a pause.

"We're running low on some things." he said, wiping sweat from his brow, "The stores should be open now, you want me to go get them?"

"Hm? Sure, why not." the blacksmith replied, as he added yet another wet blade to the pile. Uzumaki smiled, before pushing himself to his feet. He took off his apron and goggles, hanging them up on the door.

"I'll be back in a while then." he said, "There anything special you want while I'm out?"

The blacksmith looked at him with a raised brow, considering his apprentice's request with deep thought. Uzumaki waited patiently, his boss usually took his time with such things anyway. After several moments of consideration, the blacksmith nodded, before turning around and reaching for something next to the wooden cupboard.

"Yeah, take this around with you." he said, handing his apprentice something long and wrapped in a bundle, "But under no circumstance are you to take it out!"

Uzumaki accepted the bundle with a surprised expression. He may have been inexperienced, but he wasn't so much of a rookie that he couldn't already tell what was inside the beige cloth. He could already tell that it was a katana, and a surprisingly light one at that.

"Take it with me?" he repeated, with a confused frown, "You know the storeowner might get the wrong idea."

"That's why it's wrapped!" the blacksmith replied curtly, "And if you wanna stay working under me, it better keep that way!"

Uzumaki winced from his master's tone, knowing it was best not to enquire further. He held the bundle by his side as he walked out the door, the sound of the hammer striking metal returning soon after. He sighed again, this had to be the strangest thing that his boss had ever asked of him.

Inside the forge, the blacksmith looked over his shoulder, coming to a pause as he listened for his apprentice. When he was sure he was alone, he lowered his hammer onto his unused anvil, and retreated behind the veil to his left.

* * * * *

Uzumaki gripped the light katana in his hand as he left the forge, slipping his other hand into the pocket of the baggy navy trousers that he always wore to work. He stepped out into the open, his white long sleeved t shirt failing to hide the sweat stains around his collar and armpits. He felt a little embarrassed about it, but was for the most part used to it. After all, it wasn't like he was new to the profession of blacksmith's apprentice, he'd owned that title for the past two years. Everyone was used to the untidy look of him, and on an island as detached as this one, few people really cared.

He walked down the quiet street, letting the peaceful breeze calm him even further. As a child, he had often complained about the lack of things to do, and would often make noisy proclamations of his own boredom. Though he still possessed quite a bit of that zest, with all his work he was rarely left with the energy to do much more than relax. It was a strange irony, considering just how much of a slacker he used to be, that now work left him feeling strangely fulfilled.

Since the forge was a little out of the way, it took him a minute to finally reach the stores, though there were no complaints from him. Even though he had already been working for hours, most of the villagers would most likely have gotten up only recently, if at all. The sun had risen, but there was still just a small gap between it and the horizon. Though time was only a vague thing in this mostly agricultural society.

He reached the desired store, a repair shop, and stepped inside. It seemed a little odd for the apprentice of a blacksmith to use such a place, but this store also provided the means for maintaining tools, utensils and other such sturdy equipment. It was for that reason that Uzumaki frequented this shop, most of the errands his boss gave him required something from here.

Inside, among the few rows of several small tubs and containers, the store clerk crouched among his wares with a checklist in hand. He looked up as Uzumaki stepped in, lifting his head to properly see the boy through his half moon spectacles.

"Ah, Takumi-kun." the store clerk said with a smile, "And what can I get for you today?"

Takumi grinned down to the middle aged man, as usual trying not to pay too much attention to the poor comb over of his fading brown hair. The clerk straightened up, his tweed shirt and corduroy trousers giving him quite the aristocratic appearance for someone who lived in a place like this. He certainly had a friendly enough manner, if perhaps touched with an air of pompousness. But people minded that as much as they did his choice of clothing, to them he was simply one of the more enigmatic people around.

"It's just refilling on stock today." Takumi replied, before holding up the bundle in his hand, "And the old man wanted me to take this around too for some reason."

"Ah, one of his little creations then?" the clerk asked with a haughty expression, "Although, if not for his skill I daresay I myself would be having some difficulty maintaining a business. The contracts he has with the Land of Fire do provide us with some splendid trade!"

"Yeah, he's been working pretty hard." Takumi agreed, following the clerk as he returned behind the counter of his shop, "I just wish he'd remember to wear his safety gear. If something happens to him, we'd be in trouble."

"True, very true." the clerk agreed, nodding sombrely. But he perked up immediately, his jovial attitude back in an instant, "Still, he is a strong man! I have no doubts that his student will follow him most excellently!"

Takumi laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head. This wasn't the first time such confidence had been put on him, he'd heard similar things from most of the people he knew.

"Guess there's a lotta pressure on me then." he said, brightly, "I better not screw up!"

"Now now, a heavy heart will only weigh you down!" the clerk encouragingly replied, "Think positively, and don't for a moment let me catch you dragging your feet!"

Takumi laughed again, and this time the clerk joined in with a small chuckle.

"You're right." Takumi said, before giving the clerk a confident pose of a wink and the peace sign, "Hell, if everyone relies on the forge so much, then I guess that means when I get it, I'll be the most important person in the village!"

The clerk gave a clearer chuckle this time, and even clapped his hands as Takumi grinned broadly, suddenly brimming with confidence.

"That's the spirit, just have faith in yourself!" the clerk said, before ducking behind the counter, "Now, I believe _these_ will be the supplies you are looking for?"

He lifted a small cardboard box onto the counter and opened it for Takumi to see inside. Sure enough, the polishes, steel wool, everything was in there.

"Yeah, that's great thanks." he said, as he slipped the katana in his hand between his armpit. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, taking enough money to pay the clerk, "Here, thanks again."

"Thank you." the clerk replied, taking the money and opening the register. Takumi took the box in his other arm and turned around, "Have a nice day!"

"Yeah, you too!" Takumi called back, as he pushed through the door. The clerk watched as he passed the window, smiling and shaking his head.

"Such an indecisive young man." he muttered, before returning to his merchandise.

* * * * *

"Hey sis, good morning!" Takumi said, grinning broadly. He stood outside the house of his older sister, Makoto, who looked at him with a poor attempt at a stern expression.

"Shouldn't you be working?" she asked, crossing her arms. With her long red hair and white apron, Takumi couldn't help but see their mother in her, "You shouldn't be slacking off."

"I know, but I just couldn't resist!" Takumi replied, his mood not dampened in the slightest, "Besides, the old man won't even know I should be back yet!"

Makoto rolled her eyes, stepping aside to let him in. Takumi entered the house, careful not to hit his sister with the box or katana. He took off his sandals as soon as he was inside, walking through the ever tidy hallway as he made his way into the kitchen. Makoto followed him for the most part, but continued on ahead after he took the right.

He sat down at the table, placing the box on top with the katana resting against the wall next to him. He leant forward on his arms, listening as his sister's footsteps distanced. He heard the sound of a door open, and paid close attention.

"Come on, time to get up." he heard Makoto say, "It's morning."

He smiled to himself as he heard the predicted moan, but knew the owner of that small voice wouldn't disobey. He looked up as Makoto joined him in the kitchen, taking a seat opposite him. Takumi kept his eyes on the doorway, waiting for a certain someone to appear. That person however, seemed to be taking their time.

"So how are things going at work?" Makoto asked, resting her hands on her lap.

"We're just getting ready for the shipment of tanto blades." Takumi replied, "The boss is done of course, it's just the cleanup now."

"Isn't that your job?" Makoto asked, with a sharp look, "It would be bad if the shipment wasn't ready on time."

"Relax, it'll be ready." Takumi sighed, leaning forward, "Besides, shouldn't the village be looking for other dependencies? If for some reason the boss can't provide, or if the contractors find someone cheaper, then it'll be a big problem."

"Yeah, but right now it's all we have to rely on." Makoto replied, "It'll be difficult for us to learn to stand on our own feet."

"I hear ya." Takumi grumbled, resting his chin on his palm. He was about to ass something more, but then the person he'd been waiting for appeared in the doorway.

"Huh? Uncle Takumi?" said the little girl, rubbing her tired eyes with the sleeve of her blue pyjamas, "How come you're here?"

"Now now, that's not how you greet people." Makoto said with the same attempt at seriousness she'd given Takumi, "Say good morning."

The young girl blinked in surprise, as if the thought had never even crossed her mind. But when she realised what it was her mother asked, she did as she was told. She gave a low bow, her short red hair hanging down.

"Good morning uncle Takumi." she said.

"Morning Ku-chan." Takumi replied, before looking at Makoto, "You still trying to train her? You realise she's just gonna get into more trouble like that?"

"I don't know what you're saying." Makoto replied, looking away, "My little girl will grow up to be a fine young lady."

Takumi clamped his hands onto his ears, screwing his eyes up tight.

"No! Don't say it!" he cried, startling his sister and niece, "Cute little Ku-chan will never grow up!"

The two females stared at him in shock, before they both started giggling, each in a very unrefined manner. Makoto hid her mouth behind her hand, while the same went doubly for her daughter. Takumi looked at them both with great self pride, glad to once again break formality.

"Silly uncle Takumi!" Ku-chan said, when her laughter subsided. She then climbed up onto the chair between Takumi and Makoto, lowering her chin onto the smooth wooden surface. Makoto noticed this and sighed.

"There's just no way she's going to learn manners with you and your antics!" she muttered, shaking her head. Takumi just looked at her sheepishly, before winking at his niece.

"You going to school today?" he asked, with a knowing look.

"Yes." Ku-chan replied, mechanically. Takumi chuckled at his niece's obvious disdain, recalling the time when it was he using such a tone.

"Shouldn't you be going back to work?" Makoto asked, pointedly.

"Yes." Takumi replied, mimicking his niece out of nostalgia. He got to his feet and picked up the box and katana, stepping around the table. He slipped the katana back under his arm and pet his niece on the head, "See you later Ku-chan."

"Bye bye." Ku-chan sleepily replied. Takumi waved at Makoto, before heading back out. Though his visit was only brief, he didn't want to take too much of a risk when it came to work, or rather, when it came to his boss. He dropped the katana back into his hand and walked along the road leading to the forge.

* * * * *

Takumi made it back to the forge quickly, his hurried steps keeping him from being much later than the blacksmith would expect. He stepped through the door into the dark room, where the flames were burning as strong as ever. He looked around, but could see no sign of his normally busy master.

"Hey boss, I'm back!" he called, looking around with a raised brow, "You here?"

"Gah!"

Takumi's brow creased into a concerned frown. There was no doubt that had been his boss' groan just now, but _why_ was he groaning?

"Hey boss, you ok?" he called, trying to figure out where the large man was.

"Ta…kumi…" the blacksmith grunted, his voice coming from behind the veil on the left wall. Takumi frowned, heading over there. Normally he was never allowed to enter this place, it had been one of the first rules given to him when he started there. But he couldn't deny the tone of the blacksmith's voice, he couldn't stay out.

"I'm coming in." he said, before ducking through the veil. He looked around through the near complete darkness, before realising that this place was a staircase leading down to his right. He looked in the direction of the descent, seeing the faint glimmer of light down there. Cautiously, he headed down, taking each step at a time, "You hear me boss?"

"Yeah… hurry it up will ya?" his boss replied, the grouchiness impossible to mistake. Takumi reached the bottom of the stairs, poking his head out to the right.

His eyes widened, and the box under his arm fell to the ground, scattering its contents amongst the dirt. Across from him the blacksmith lay, in a pool of his own blood.

"BOSS!" Takumi cried, by his master's side in an instant, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch." The blacksmith replied, showing his severely cut hand, "You didn't take that katana out of its sheath did ya?"

"No, I didn't." Takumi replied, studying his master's hand. The palm seemed shredded, as if it had been taken to by a sharp file, "What happened?"

The blacksmith replied by raising his uninjured hand, and pointing over his apprentice's shoulder. Takumi looked back, staring at the area his master gestured to in surprise.

Seven swords lay against the wall, mostly hidden in the shadows. Each one was a different shape and size, the largest one was bandaged and easily bigger than even the blacksmith, while the smallest was a pair of thin short swords, kept together. Takumi looked at the strange heap, they certainly didn't resemble his master's work.

"What are those?" he asked, looking back at his master.

"Hang on, help me get upstairs first." the blacksmith replied, pressing his good hand on the ground, "Toss that katana over there with the rest."

Takumi blinked, he had forgotten about the blade in his hand. He did as he was told and tossed it with the other seven blades. He then put his master's arm around his shoulder, and helped the incredibly heavy man to his feet. It wasn't until he did this though, that he realised why his boss had been on the floor. His left leg was also shredded, even worse than his hand.

"How did that happen?" he asked, as his master placed his free hand on the wall.

"Wait till we get back up there." the blacksmith irritably repeated, "I don't want those damn blades in my sight."

Takumi cast another look at the abnormal looking swords, wondering what on earth could have made his master so angry. But he followed the blacksmith's orders, and together they made their slow way to and up the stairs. It took a while, but eventually they were back on the ground floor, where Takumi carefully lowered his injured master onto a wooden crate. The blacksmith sat back, his breathing heavy and his clothes drenched in sweat. Takumi stepped back, heading for the door.

"I'll go get a doctor!" he said, grabbing the handle.

"Don't bother, this is more important." the blacksmith replied, reaching out with his hand. Takumi hesitated, knowing what he should do, and what he was being told to do. But in the end, he did as told and returned to his master's side, "Good boy, now listen closely."

Takumi knelt down on the ground, looking up at his boss and giving his full attention. The blacksmith took several deep breaths, before beginning to speak.

"Things… haven't been going great." he said, his breathing heavy but his speech steady, "Konoha has been looking into other possibilities, the contracts are at risk. I spent a long time trying to think of a way to convince them to continue buying from us, but it wasn't easy.

"I talked to one of the ninja that came along with the ship to pick up the last supply, and he levelled with me. Use of conventional weapons among the military were disappearing, ninja were relying more on their jitsu or whatever the damned things were called. As their abilities progressed, the less the needed blades and the likes. It didn't look like there was anything I could do, but then I got an idea.

"It wasn't easy, making those blades, and more than once I thought about just giving up. I had to hire a passing ninja from Kirigakure just to get some idea of what to do. But eventually I started getting results, and I was damn pleased. I created seven blades, eight if you count that pair, which were _capable of manipulating different forms of chakra_.

"I was elated of course, finally we could get back on our feet. I was gonna show them to the Konoha nin tomorrow, but after this…"

"What happened?" Takumi asked again, as his master took several deep breaths. The blacksmith reached out and grabbed his apprentice's shoulders, looking deep into his eyes.

"Those blades are dangerous!" he said, in a harsh voice, "They don't just use chakra, but they _take_ it, _control_ it, and _grow_ from it! They're alive, and they're hungry!"

Takumi stared at his master in alarm, he sounded almost mad. But after these past two years, Takumi knew that wasn't true. Out of everyone he'd ever met, none were stronger than this person. If he said those blades were dangerous, there was no doubt.

"We have to get rid of them then." he said, "We can't sell them to Konoha. If they found out the truth, they'd do worse than cancel their business with us."

The blacksmith nodded, clapping his apprentice on the back.

"Good boy, that's right." he replied, "But it won't just take dumping them, we have to take special care. We have to-"

* * * * *

Naruto looked up as the door to his apartment opened. Yuuka stepped in, smiling at him and raising a small plastic bag. Eko fell silent, speaking no more in case Naruto reacted strangely.

"I brought you some soup, I hope its ok." Yuuka said, closing the door behind her, "I wasn't sure what to get you, or if solid food would be ok."

"Thanks." Naruto replied, watching Yuuka as she walked past and into the kitchen. He was glad that she had brought him something, but a little annoyed of the interruption. Once the door to the kitchen was shut, he quickly turned to Eko, "So what happened next?"

"The blacksmith had Takumi take the blades onto the ship that took the order of blades. Takumi followed his master's instructions and took myself and the others to the very cave Kisame no Danna found us, and left us there. I don't know why, but for some reason, those memories never left me."

Naruto stared at Eko with wide eyes, comprehending the blade's words carefully.

"So what does this mean?" he asked.

"For whatever reason, Takumi didn't keep me with the rest of the blades. He carried me with him, right until he left us… so if you want, I could lead you to the harbour that we arrived at when we got to the Land of Fire. I know the name of the island, I overheard the captain of the boat calling it out. I don't know how long it's been… but maybe…"

"Maybe there's still someone there." Naruto finished, in a breath, "Someone who knows…"

"Yeah…"


	42. Two as one

Geez, after all that time wanting to finish the coup arc, I now want to hurry onto the next one. My guess is that arc will come chapter after next. Anyway, I think I was a little all over the place with this one, not sure which angle I wanted to take. In any case, I'm set for twists, so I'm satisfied for now.

Disclaimer: Don't actually have anything to put in here... eh... Naruto with the Ribi instead of the Kyubi. Kiba would fear the fart bubbles.

**

* * *

**

**Two as one**

Naruto sat up in his bed, his back resting against the headboard as he talked with Rika, who sat at the foot of his bed, and Yuuka, who sat on the chair next to him. It was early the next day and the two sisters had come to visit him once again.

He had spent most of last night thinking about what Eko had told him, though he couldn't form anything coherent. Eko had offered to help him find that island, to find the people who shared his name. But it was hardly an easy decision to make, to say the least. He had long ago abandoned the idea that he would ever know, he had accepted that it would stay a mystery forever. It wasn't to say he'd never tried, but that he'd never had any clue where or what to look for. However, now he had both, he didn't know what to do.

Rika sat back, looking at Naruto and Yuuka the same bored look she'd been giving them for a while now. Yuuka didn't seem to notice though, or maybe she was just used to it. In either case, it seemed it wasn't just boredom that was ailing her. Slowly, she slid back on the bed, from sitting to lying. She stared up at the ceiling for several seconds, before the effort proved too great. Neither Naruto not Yuuka actually noticed when she drifted off, but soon she was gone to the world.

"Man, she's really out of it." Naruto said, looking down at her with a surprised grin.

"She has trouble acclimatising to the daytime." Yuuka replied, with an almost sorry smile. Naruto looked up at Yuuka with a raised brow.

"Why is it she stays up at night?" he asked, looking back at the sleeping girl. Yuuka faltered nervously, before letting out a small, unsettled laugh.

"It's… a little complicated." she said, before getting to her feet, "Would you like a drink?"

"Uh, I'm fine." Naruto replied, giving her a strange look as she walked around his bed to the kitchen. Did she just dodge his question?

He watched the door with a blank stare, his confusion keeping his eyes affixed. It wasn't until Rika turned in her sleep that he remembered she was there, and he turned his gaze to her. She didn't seem as tired as she'd been yesterday, it made Naruto wonder if she'd been forcing herself to stay awake. He couldn't really be sure of what he should make of that, but at the same time he knew he could be misinterpreting big time.

He remembered what Kohaku had been telling him, about his family, his sons, Rika and Yuuka's mother… it really seemed like there were some problems there. How was it that a family with a father so committed could be torn in half like that? Naruto didn't agree with Kohaku's self doubt, but he didn't really know how to convince the older Shinobi. And after everything he'd heard, he doubted anything he said would have any real effect. It was a situation out of his depth, he hardly had the experience to input on family.

Yuuka stepped back into the room, holding a cup in her hands. She returned to her seat, looking at her sleeping sister with a smile that seemed to hold back laughter. That conservativeness really told Naruto how much she'd had to grow up, and how different she was from Rika.

"Hey Yuuka-chan… are you ok?" he asked, watching her with concern. Yuuka looked at him in surprise, startled by his question.

"Yes, why do you ask?" she asked back, with a raised brow. Naruto hesitated, taking care to reply as delicately as he could.

"Yesterday… Kohaku-san told me about your brothers… and your mom." he said, quietly.

Yuuka's eyes widened in shock, she quickly cast them over to Rika. But when she realised her sister was still dead to the world, her expression relaxed.

"Oh, he did?" she asked, with a calm smile, "What did he tell you?"

Naruto didn't answer his question, his eyes were too focused on her face. After a few moments of silence, he sighed, and rested his head against the board behind him.

"I know that look." he said, informatively, "I used to use something like that against old man Hokage all the time."

"The Hokage?" Yuuka repeated, persistently, "The leader of Konohagakure? What was he like?"

"And I used to dodge his questions just like that." Naruto said with a small grin, "You got anything else?"

"Uh…" Yuuka wavered, her cheerful look fading away. She looked down at the bed, her brow furrowing worriedly. Naruto watched her patiently, waiting for her response.

"It doesn't look like you get to talk about it much." he said, as Yuuka's hesitation continued, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Yuuka glanced at him as he told her this, still looking uncertain.

"Well… I don't really know what to tell you." she replied, her voice matching her expression.

"It's ok." Naruto said, gently, "I just wanted to know a little more about you and Rika-chan."

Yuuka quickly looked at her sister again, her nervousness obvious. She then looked at Naruto's eyes in a way that made him fix his on hers.

"Please, don't ask Rika-chan anything like this." she said, in an almost pleading manner, "It wouldn't be good for her."

Naruto glanced at Rika, Yuuka's words now making him _very_ curious.

"You wanna talk somewhere else?" he asked, as he returned his attention to Yuuka, who looked unsure.

"Is it ok for you to get out of bed?" she asked, with worry.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, proving it by lifting the quilt off him and laying it around Rika, "It's mostly just my chest and back that got hurt."

Yuuka watched him as he shifted to a sitting position and pushed himself to his feet. She got to her own and stood near him, just in case. Naruto smiled at her in an attempt to relieve her concern, but it didn't seem to work. The two made their way over to the door and stepped out into the hall. Yuuka cast one more look to her sister, before Naruto closed the door. The two of them then headed towards the window to their left, Yuuka still watching him. Despite what he'd said, he was taking his time, and seemed to be hunching a little. But he didn't say anything, and she had a feeling he'd deny his discomfort if she asked.

They reached the window, which Naruto lifted open. He winced slightly as he raised his arms, but stopped himself quickly. He then leant on the sill, and seemed relieved to relax his muscles like that. Yuuka continued to look at him, she leant forward too.

"So how come you don't want Rika-chan to hear any of this?" he asked, as he looked out to the village below. He could see the signs of the previous battle down there, large cracks on the ground and scorch marks everywhere. Off to the right, a building had even collapsed, with black marks around it that almost looked like it'd been struck by a giant bolt of lightning. Yuuka saw this too, she seemed quite upset by it.

"Rika… she doesn't…" she began, pausing several times as she thought her words over, "There's a lot she doesn't remember."

Naruto looked at Yuuka in surprise, such a thing had been the last of what he'd expected to hear.

"She has amnesia?" he asked, with a look of disquiet.

"In a manner of speaking." Yuuka replied, with a small nod, "About our brothers… just how much did father tell you?"

"Well, he gave me their names, and said that your mother sent them to get trained by their grandparents." Naruto said, "I think that's pretty much it."

Yuuka nodded to herself, following what Naruto said.

"There's more to it than that." she said, bowing her head to look at the ground outside, "You see, mother came from a clan of ninja that had a special kekkei genkai, which was called "Soma no Ko". It was an ability shared among the twins of my mother's clan. They could… _merge_ their bodies together, like the two would become one."

Naruto frowned, nodding slowly. He understood so far, and from the pretty strange kekkei genkai he'd come across these past couple of months, it didn't surprise him too much that there was something like that. Yuuka took a moment to collect her thoughts, her breathing slow and steady as she spoke of thins she'd probably tried not to think of.

"My brothers, Sakon and Ukon, went to stay with our grandparents to learn how to control that ability, and how to use it as Shinobi." she continued, her breathing becoming a little quicker, "The last time I saw them, Ukon told me to keep an eye on things for him. At the time I didn't know what he meant by that… but…"

Yuuka's grip on the window sill tightened, Naruto noticed the skin on her knuckles paling. He almost suggested she take a breather, but she went straight on.

"A year after they left, mother just suddenly… _died_." she said, her chest heaving pretty rapidly now, "Everything fell apart. Dad never once let us see him sad, but I could tell… Rika became distant, and angry. Sakon and Ukon were still gone, they didn't know anything about it and we had no way of telling them. Things just… _weren't working_."

Naruto saw where this was going, he knew what was going to happen. He hesitated for only a moment, before putting his hand on her back. At his touch, she looked at him, seeing his concern.

"It's ok." he said, attentively, "Don't force it."

Yuuka looked at him, her breaths still fast and heavy. But as he kept his calm and understanding look, her breathing slowed, and she too became a little more relaxed.

"Sorry." she said quietly. Naruto shook his head, showing she had nothing to be sorry about, "Thanks."

"I didn't mean to make you upset." he told her, "If it was going to be this hard, you could have just said no."

Yuuka smiled, reaching up with her hand to wipe away unshed tears. She smiled warmly at him.

"How could I, after everything you've done?" she asked, turning to face him, "After all you've done to help us, to help our father."

"I think I was more of a burden to him." Naruto replied with a grin, "And it ended up with _him_ rescuing _me_."

Yuuka shook her head, her smile maintained.

"You promised you'd be there, and you were." she said, tenderly, "You put your life at risk for our sake, I don't think I could ever thank you enough."

Naruto's brow raised in surprise at the smile Yuuka was giving him, it made him feel kind of unsettled. He was getting pretty warm, and fidgety. Yuuka seemed to feel similar, her eyes were unable to settle on one place.

"Um… you know, it was Rika's idea that we help take care of you." she said, as she became just as restless as Naruto, "So I'm still indebted to you… if there's anything, anything at all…"

Naruto blinked, quickly turning to look back out the window. He tried to keep the implications of that offer out of his mind, being reminded that the two sisters were taking care of him wasn't helping.

"Uh… I uh…" he spluttered, speaking without thinking. Yuuka leant out the window to get a better look at his face, though she seemed almost as nervous as him. Saying that, his noticing of just how close the two of them now where made him all the more uneasy. He was planning on telling her not to worry about it, but for some reason he was having a hard time saying even that.

"Come on, you gonna be a coward all your life?"

Naruto's brow twitched, that was probably just what Eko would say if he were here. If not, then something similar. But even though it hadn't been said, the thought reached Naruto and it made him pause. It was true, he was shying away here for some reason. Why? Just a few days ago he had almost asked Rika out, and it had been pretty easy then. So why was it that he was having difficulty making a decision here?

He looked at Yuuka from the corner of his eye, she was still looking at him, her cheeks reddened a little. Was she thinking along the same lines as him? If that was the case, then was she waiting for him to ask, or was she worried _in case_ he'd ask? Those thoughts made a decision all the more difficult, he didn't want to ask if she would only say yes because of this "debt". In that case, there was only one solution he could think of.

"What do you think?" he asked, resting his arm on the window sill as he turned to her. Yuuka flushed at his sudden question, her expression turning quickly to embarrassment as the outcome was given to her to decide.

"Well… I-" she stammered, averting her gaze out of the window. She took a moment to calm herself, but it didn't seem to be working, "I could…"

Though he was glad that the torch had been passed on, the discomfort was still present in Naruto's gut. He stepped aside, leaning against the wall and looking down at the window at the other end of the hall. At least this way the red tint to his cheeks was slightly obscured.

"_What a coward."_ he thought, confirming what his imagination had told him, _"I can't even ask her myself…"_

Naruto blinked. For some reason, just after forming that thought, he began to feel himself calm down. His breathing slowed and he felt himself cool down considerably. He became somehow relaxed, and somehow… confident. He dropped his gaze to the carpet, and took a pause. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly knew what to say, as if he were receiving instructions.

"You know, back in Konoha, I was always alone." he said, letting his arms hand limply by his sides, "No matter what I did, or how hard I tried, everyone seemed to want to keep me at a distance. The closest people to me, the ones I called friends, didn't really try to get to know me. They just saw me as the clown, always pulling pranks."

Yuuka watched Naruto silently, wondering what brought on this confession. She wasn't sure how, but her eyes felt fixed to him, like she couldn't look away if she wanted to.

"Now I'm here in Ame, and for a while I thought things were better." Naruto continued, "But the only difference is that the way things were in Konoha, I don't even have that anymore. I'm always around these adults who can think only about missions and plans. And even they come and go, because they're so busy. I think the only real difference is that now, I have to fight when ordered."

"Naruto-san…" Yuuka whispered, but Naruto didn't hear her.

"The whole reason I came here was that I hoped to get away from that feeling, of being completely alone." he said, looking ahead again, "I thought that I would be able to meet people like me, who I can relate with. But it didn't work out like I'd thought… I'm still alone."

He turned his head to Yuuka, his calm and peaceful eyes meeting her sorry ones.

"When I made that promise, you and I were complete strangers to each other." he said, with a faint smile, "Do you think that now, we could be more than strangers?"

Yuuka stared at Naruto in stunned silence, her lips parted as her breath slipped past them. Naruto watched her as he awaited an answer, when he blinked. As suddenly as it had come, his confidence had gone. He was left hearing what he had just said, and the wave of embarrassment that came with it.

"Well- I- uh… I mean-" he stammered, his cool appearance failing as his face reddened as his heart started pounding. Once more he was caught in the urge for movement, and found himself looking anywhere but at Yuuka.

Despite the regression of his attitude however, Yuuka had still been caught by his words. His change only served to snap her from her daze, and she calmed down with a smile. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm, earning his attention once more.

"How about once you're all healed up, we go out and find something fun to do?" she offered, gently, "If you like, that is."

"Really?" Naruto asked, shock fixing his attention on her, "You sure about that?"

"You don't want to?" Yuuka countered, with a knowing look, despite her growing nerves. Naruto paused for a moment, but couldn't hold back a grin.

"That sounds great!" he said, as he was suddenly overcome with enthusiasm. Yuuka laughed lightly at his new found positive attitude, it was a definite improvement.

"I'm glad you're so excited." she said, before she seemed to remember something, "Oh, do you know what time it is?"

Naruto raised his brow, before looking up out the window.

"Uh… I'd guess about one or two o'clock." he guessed, leaning out to get a better look, "Why?"

He looked at Yuuka, who had her eyes on the door to his room. She then looked at him, her previous smile gone.

"You know how I was telling you about the Soma no Ko?" she asked. Naruto nodded, "Well… would you like to see it?"

"Wha- you and Rika-chan can do that?!" Naruto exclaimed, with a strong look of shock.

"Mm-hm!" Yuuka replied with a quick nod. She then turned around and headed back to the room, with Naruto close behind.

Rika was still in a deep sleep when they returned, though they hadn't really been out long anyway. It wasn't until Naruto actually saw the sleeping girl that he realised Yuuka hadn't told her much more than that her family on her mother's side had a strange kekkei genkai. But he wasn't going to press any more, not after how upset Yuuka had been.

"So… do you need to wake her?" he asked, looking at Yuuka questioningly.

"No, there wouldn't really be any point to it." Yuuka replied, steeping forward. She stopped just in front of her sister, looking back at Naruto, "But like this… it's a little embarrassing."

Naruto could see the faint reddening of her cheeks again, and thoughts filled his head of just how the merging took place. He quickly pushed them out though, he didn't want to make the situation seem uncomfortable.

"I don't have to see it." he said, "I can turn around, or wait outside if you want."

Yuuka hesitated for a moment as she considered this, but in the end she just shook her head.

"No, you trusted me with something about you, so I'll trust you with this." she said, with a nervous smile. She turned back to her sister, as Naruto looked at her. She took a couple of deep breaths, before reaching down and pulling the quilt off Rika's body.

Naruto watched with wide eyes as Yuuka slowly climbed onto the bed, looking at the sleeping Rika from above. Her hair fell down past her head and intermingled with her sister's, both their faces disappearing in the lavender veil. Yuuka stood on all fours above her twin, and slowly lowered herself down. Naruto could hardly believe the sight before him, and was in no way able to look away. Yuuka continued to descend upon Rika, personally glad she wasn't wearing a skirt as she felt Naruto's eyes upon her and her sister. This really was embarrassing, but she pushed on for reasons the blond behind her couldn't figure out.

She supported herself on one arm as her other reached out, her hand taking Rika's and their fingers intertwining. She descended as far down as possible, she was now literally lying on top of Rika. She reached out and took her sister's other hand, and righted herself so she lay in the same way as her twin.

"Are you ready?" Yuuka asked quietly, so not to wake the sleeping Rika.

"Huh?" Naruto mumbled, his eyes coming back into focus, "Oh, yeah."

He couldn't tell if Yuuka showed any signs of acknowledging his reply, she seemed to return her focus to the… _task_ at hand. She took a deep breath, before continuing.

"Whoa."

"Whoa." Naruto thought, in time to Eko's statement.

They watched as Yuuka's body somehow lowered itself even further, like she was sinking into Rika past what was determined as possible. But when their bare arms began to meld together, there was no confusing what was going on. It wasn't like Naruto had expected it, it was… _transfixing_. It had the feeling of something that wasn't right, yet at the same time wasn't wrong. Like the idea of two humans joining together like that shouldn't be true, yet… with _these_ two… it seemed more like they were fitting together, rather than one disappearing into the other.

However, there was on thing that slightly disturbed Naruto. Though Yuuka was sinking into Rika, Rika didn't move in the slightest. The sight that Naruto found so unsettling was that Rika's face was now appearing in what was left of the back of Yuuka's head. It was the same case with their feet, Rika's were poking out of Yuuka's heels.

When it was finally over, Naruto couldn't tell if he was glad he'd seen it, or not. In either case, he felt estranged, and very, _very_ confused.

"Um… Rika-chan?" he called, though not too loudly. When he got no reply, he moved closer to the bed, looking at Rika, no,_ Yuuka's_ face.

Yuuka opened her eyes, looking up at Naruto blankly. She then blinked a couple of times, as if she were disoriented, before sitting up. She raised her hand to her head, shaking it from her confusion. As she did this, her old clothes fell off, she now wore Rika's.

"That's… strange." she said, "Usually Rika does it, but it couldn't be helped."

"So… Rika-chan is inside you?" Naruto asked, bewildered but as composed as he usually was. Yuuka shook her head though, disagreeing with the statement.

"It's not quite like that." she replied, before giving him a weak, but hopeful look, "If you don't mind, could we talk about that later? After all that, I'd rather leave things in the mood we're in now."

"Ok." Naruto said, nodding. He looked down at Yuuka, who looked up at him. Eko watched the both of them, focusing on one, then the other.

"What'd I miss?"

* * * * *

The Deva realm opened his eyes, a small smirk on his mouth. He turned around to Konan, who stood in the light of the alcove in the usual room. Konan returned his gaze with curiosity, she had given up trying to guess what he was about to say when wearing that look.

"It appears the experiment was a success." Pein said, earning a frown from Konan, "I had believed that I could only send chakra to Naruto-san and Gaara-san while their stores were at least partially depleted. But it seems a Jinchuriki's chakra system works a little differently."

"What do you mean?" Konan asked, her sleeves meeting as she folded her arms.

"Naruto-san has been suffering from depression for a while now, in case you hadn't noticed." Pein explained, leaning against the wall casually, "Though it hasn't been completely confirmed, I felt my chakra enter his system, and could partially adapt to his own chakra. It seems on some level I can… _suggest_ things to him."

"Isn't that indoctrination?" Konan asked, her eyes narrowing slightly, "That's not something you would do."

"Granted, it is a form of control I don't like to exert." Pein agreed, with a gratuitous nod, "However, I am not controlling his thoughts. It is perhaps more accurate to say I'm merely balancing his feelings."

"Your going to have to be more precise." Konan said. Since Pein had asked her to keep a note of his actions, she had diligently done so.

"It's simple really." Pein replied, with a shrug, "A slight decrease to his heart rate, relaxing his chest muscles and diaphragm to steady his breathing, and then a very slight release of endorphins to boost his mood. At this range to my real body, it is an almost effortless task."

Konan studied Pein's face carefully, though as expected doing so revealed nothing.

"Still, it's not something you should use carelessly." she said, "You should keep it aside for times when it's really needed."

"Very well, I see your point." Pein conceded, with a sigh, "I won't use it unless necessary. However, it is useful to have."

He turned away, looking back out to the village. Konan could tell the subject was glad, and let out a small breath of relief. That hadn't been easy, even if it had been asked of her by Pein.

"How are things going down there?" Pein asked, his expression dropped. Konan straightened up, her face becoming just as stoic.

"Though Hanzo is gone, his lieutenants are maintaining command." she reported, "It will be a while longer before we can begin taking control."

"I see…" Pein muttered, "And Naruto-san?"

"Still recovering. Though he is healing very quickly."

Pein nodded, that much was expected.

"Very well then." he said, looking over his shoulder, "Bring Gaara-san here."


	43. Fresh encounters

Ok, this is pretty much just preparation for the in between arcs, and once more completely spontaneous. I know this isn't the time where such things are usually done, but it's needed to improve Naruto into a more likeable character, which he really isn't at the moment. By the way, tassets are sort of like that piece of cloth Sasuke wears around his waist, the thing the rope is tied around.

Disclaimer: Well, Utakata is a little cooler, but still a disappointment for the most part... damn, those of you who watch the anime are gonna be confused, but like I said, CHARMING! Miroku, not Sesshomaru!

* * *

**Fresh encounters**

Naruto opened the door to Pein's room, looking into the sunlit chamber carefully. The room was as bare as ever, stone walls all around with shadows only on either side of the alcove up ahead. There was no sign of the room's usual tenant, the Deva realm was nowhere to be seen. Naruto stepped back out, closing the door. He had hoped to find Pein here, he didn't know where else he would be. He had a feeling he shouldn't go to see the real Pein, he believed that time was simply to serve the purpose of regaining his trust. So he was left clueless, at a loss for what to do.

He sighed to himself, before turning around. He had finally recovered from his injury, though there was still some scarring. He'd wanted to check in with Pein to see if there was anything needed of him, since he knew that there was still much work going into taking control of Ame. He didn't really want to work though, he just wanted to check of it was ok to go see Yuuka and Rika. His thoughts had seldom left that offer Yuuka had made him, it was a little nerve racking to think over, but he couldn't help getting strange feelings about it. At the time it had sounded like a simple offer made from a friend, and he was definitely ok with that. But at the same time, he wondered if maybe he had actually misinterpreted the situation to a lesser extent, had Yuuka been making a different sort of offer?

"_Man, this is killing me!"_ he thought, adjusting the collar of his pullover. He didn't know what had happened to his regular clothes, after them getting shredded by a row of jagged teeth of course. He couldn't find them anywhere, and realised they'd probably been thrown out. Because of that he just dressed casually, he'd left his forehead protector in his room as well.

He let out a sigh, and an involuntary shrug, before he headed towards the stairs. If he couldn't find Pein, then he was left to assume that there wasn't anything for him to do.

He left the empty hallway and stood in the black stairwell, his eyes rising to the upper level. Chances were the real Pein was up there, he couldn't imagine how that massive machine could be moved easily. The sensible course of action was to just go up and check, but there was something about that room that made him uneasy.

In the end he dismissed it, and descended the stairs fairly quickly. He stopped on his level, and quickly passed through into the hallway. He knew that Eko would be annoyed if left on his own too long, so he headed in to collect the blade. Opening the door to his room, he stepped inside, but quickly stopped.

"Gaara-san?" he said in surprise, his blue eyes meeting green. Gaara stood by Naruto's bed, Ekokaeten in his hand and out of the sheath. He wielded the blade with the experience of someone who had never held a blade before, the sight would have made Naruto feel more confident in his own skills at swordplay if he were not trying to figure out the reason for Gaara's holding it.

Gaara lowered the blade as he noticed Naruto, the tip almost touching the ground. Without a word, he took the sheath that lay on the bed and slowly slid the katana back into it. He then walked over to Naruto handing it to him.

"This is no normal katana." he said, without asking or showing any signs of curiosity.

"Yeah, you're right." Naruto replied with a nod. He reached around his back and strapped Eko on, "My sensei gave him to me."

"I see." Gaara said, folding his arms, "You recovered quickly for someone with such injuries."

Once Eko was firmly back in place, Naruto looked at Gaara, a weak grin on his face.

"Yeah, Pein-san said it was something to do with the Kyubi." he replied, "I think it's the same for you too. That wound in your shoulder disappeared pretty fast."

Gaara didn't look, but Naruto could see the understanding in his eyes. It was a strange thing to see, almost like it annoyed him.

"Is that so?" he asked, rhetorically. He stepped around Naruto, into the hall. He seemed to be leaving, but he paused, "Pein-san has given us a mission. We leave tomorrow."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock. While it was true he felt completely fine, he hadn't expected to be put to work _that_ fast, "What is it?"

"I didn't get the details." Gaara replied, looking over his shoulder, "He said he shall tell you himself."

Naruto raised his brow, a little taken aback. Why hadn't Pein just told Gaara? Was there a reason he felt he needed to tell Naruto instead?

In either case, it was apparent that Pein intended to see him at some point, and he at least knew the answer to the question he'd intended to ask. It wasn't a relief, but it made things easier.

When Naruto didn't seem to have anything more to say, Gaara turned away and headed down the hall. Naruto didn't wait to see where he was going, he had somewhere to be. He too turned from his room, closing the door, before heading to the window nearest to him. With both hands he raised the glass, before leaning out and looking below. After the heavy rainfall during the coup, the sky had been fairly bright.

He gripped the sill with his hands, and leant further out. He had wanted to try this for a while now, but the timing was never really appropriate. He pushed himself off the ground, and dropped out of the window headfirst.

* * * * *

Konan opened the door to the highest floor of the tower, stepping into the sunlight shining through the hole in the wall. She looked at it with a raised brow, wondering why Nagato hadn't closed it yet. She looked over to the man in the machine to ask him, but then she realised he was fast asleep, his head lolling and hair hiding his face. Konan let out an irritated sigh as a cool breeze slipped through the hole, what was he thinking?

She walked over to Nagato, not bothering to tread lightly. She knew that if he was sleeping in that condition, a simple thing like footsteps weren't going to wake him. She strode straight to the machine, and wasted no time stepping on cables and other jutting pieces as she climbed to Nagato's level. When she was at the same height as him, she reached out and placed a hand on his bony shoulder.

"Nagato." She said, shaking him very lightly, "Wake up."

Nagato's eyes fluttered open, his left one seeing Konan through his fringe. He took a moment to collect himself before raising his head to look at her properly.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, his straight voice hiding whatever his feelings were.

"Yes there is." Konan replied, unfalteringly, "You realise with your body like this your immune system is shot to hell? You can't just stay in here with a big hole in the wall, you'll become ill."

Nagato looked at Konan, his hanging hair masking his look of surprise. Of all things, he'd hardly expected _that_ to be the reason she took on such an attitude.

"That's a strange thing for you to worry about." he said with a smile, "What do you propose then? There aren't very many places that can hold this. At least, none that can meet its power requirements."

"Well at least seal up this hole." Konan replied, dropping down from the machine and walking towards it, "Don't be so careless."

She stopped in front of the opening in the wall, looking straight at it. She raised her hands into a seal Nagato couldn't see, and cast an unnamed Jutsu. She then held her arms out, and paper blew out from her hanging sleeves, gathering around the hole. The sheets began forming a wall, rising up and slowly closing the tear. Nagato dropped his gaze, his smile widening a little.

"_What a shame."_ he thought, _"And it was such a nice view as well."_

As the hole steadily disappeared, he ignited the torches all around. The pale light from outside was replaced by the burning orange, and once more the atmosphere became heavier. When Konan was done, she turned back and came a little closer.

"Hanzo's former base has been successfully taken." she said, "There were some casualties however, and most of the lieutenants escaped."

"Then the next step is to take the waterways." Nagato replied, his smile gone, "Without those they will lose their fast route and be slowed considerably."

Konan nodded in agreement, though there were other thoughts going through her mind. She noticed the sudden change in Nagato's mood, but couldn't figure out why.

"Also, Naruto-san has left the building." she said, "It seems he was looking to meet with you, or rather, Deva, beforehand."

"It is understandable that he would rather not come here." Nagato muttered, before speaking up, "Any ideas as to what he was looking for?"

"I don't know." Konan replied, "He did seem a little more energetic than usual."

"Hm." Nagato exhaled, his interest fading, "I will have to see him later to give him the mission's details. Make sure to send him along when he returns."

Konan gave him a nod, stepping back. She could tell he was still very tired, and despite her initial attitude she did feel a little guilty about waking him. That was the first time she'd seen him sleeping in a long time, she wasn't exactly pleased to ruin it.

"Very well, I'll let you get back to your rest." she said, turning and heading away. Nagato watched as she left the room, before hanging his head.

"_How can I rest now?" _he thought.

* * * * *

Naruto crouched down on the roof of a building along the north east side of Ame, squinting as he looked around. Eko was gone from his back, Naruto had dropped him off at a certain place on the way over. Since then he had been running around, but had had no success in finding his destination. He sighed, scratching his head. Why was this so difficult?

He dropped down into the streets, looking around curiously for any signs of the landmarks that had been given to him. He seemed to have gotten lost though, he couldn't find the next one anywhere.

"_Man, where is it?"_ he thought, turning around on the spot. He was getting a little dizzy, but he was also a little frustrated. People looked at the eccentric boy in passing, wondering what it was he was so antsy about.

"Naruto-kun!" he heard, from somewhere behind him. He turned around to spot the owner of the familiar voice, but there was no one looking his way, "Up here!"

Naruto glanced up in surprise, spotting the person he was looking for leaning out on a balcony.

"Yuuka-chan!" he called, grinning and waving, "Sorry, I kinda got lost!"

"I'll be right there!" Yuuka said, before quickly heading back inside.

Naruto headed to the front door of the building which was apparently Yuuka's home, a square, two floored building with dark blue walls. He waited patiently, the noise from the street hiding any sounds of movement from inside. After a few seconds though, he saw Yuuka's familiar form through the frosted glass pane on the door. She opened it up and hopped out, smiling at him as she closed the door behind her and locked it.

"Are you ready?" she asked, stepping back. Naruto, a little surprised by how enthusiastic she seemed, blanked.

"For what?" he asked, as for the first time he wondered what Yuuka had planned.

"I was thinking about introducing you to a few friends of Rika and me." Yuuka replied warmly, "You've been here for a while yet haven't really made many friends, so I thought I could get you to meet with some people."

"Wha?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock, taking an involuntary step back, "Seriously?!"

"Mm-hm!" Yuuka nodded, cheerfully, "Come on!"

Naruto was about to protest when she grabbed his hand and started pulling him away. As soon as her hand met his, he found himself unable to formulate coherent words.

"We- I- ah- huh?!" he stammered, as he ran after Yuuka, who had a tight grip on him. He looked down at their joined hands, before looking at Yuuka's happy face. He was still a little confused, but in the end he couldn't help but smile.

"_Looks like now things have settled down, Yuuka-chan has cheered up a lot!"_ he thought. He was glad of it, for one thing it told him that Kohaku was probably doing ok, he didn't know if the team he'd been a part of for only a little while were still fighting or not.

He didn't let those thoughts bother him too much though, now wasn't the time for getting like that. Instead he focused on what he recalled from before, how Yuuka and Rika somehow joined bodies. He caught up so he was running alongside Yuuka, who let go of his hand when she was sure he was coming willingly.

"Hey, so who are these people then?" he asked, as they took a right into another street.

"Their just some friends Rika and I made when we were in the academy!" Yuuka replied, glancing at Naruto, "It's ok, I'm sure you'll get along great!"

Naruto grinned, hoping Yuuka was right. He couldn't be certain, but he felt more than a little anxious about this.

The two of them left the street they were running through and entered into a sort of square, where other streets seemed to meet. Yuuka slowed down here, looking around keenly for whoever it was she was looking for. Naruto looked around too, even though he wasn't sure of who he was looking for. There wasn't much of a crowd, but there were still people moving around like they had somewhere to be. He couldn't spot anyone around his or Yuuka's age though, no one who could have been at the academy at the same time as her.

"There they are!" Yuuka called, looking of to her far left. Naruto turned to that direction, squinting through the crowd. He could see a small group of people sitting on a bench in the square, looking about the right age, "Come on!"

Naruto followed Yuuka as she walked quickly towards the group, passing through the thin crowds. As they drew nearer, Naruto began to see the group more clearly. Two boys and a girl sat on the bench, chatting rather animatedly to each other. It didn't take long for one of the boys to spot them, and in seconds all three of them were looking at Yuuka and, more pointedly, Naruto.

"Hey Yuuka-chan!" called one of the boys, waving his hand in the air. He was a tall boy with fair skin and pretty long red hair tied back behind his head. His eyes were slightly shaded under his brown and green camouflage visor, but Naruto could make out the green iris and wild nature that reminded him a little of Inuzuka Kiba from back in Konoha. He sat in a teal hooded jacket with a yellow t-shirt underneath, and grey shorts reaching just past his knees.

"Hey Haru-kuuun!" Yuuka called back, waving herself. She and Naruto reached the group, each of whom got to their feet as the two drew close.

"Who's this?" asked the girl to the right. She looked at Naruto with bright blue eyes, her short blond hair hanging from the bangs on either side of her face and rising around to the back of her head. She wore a long sleeved pink shirt and a white skirt that fell a little further in the back than it did in the front, a little like tassets.

"Oh, this is Naruto-kun." Yuuka said, gesturing to Naruto with a smile, "He's a friend of mine."

Despite the warm feeling he got from being called a friend, Naruto did his best to keep his cool, a task that was already being tested by his nerves. It was a little easier though when the boy on the left held out his hand.

"Mamoru Kenta." he said, with a friendly smile.

"U-Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, giving the boy a quick look over as he shook his hand.

He was pretty stout, though not as big as some other people he knew. He had short, light brown hair with a loose fringe above his brow. His eyes were a calm shade of hazel, looking through square, thin framed glasses perched on his small nose. He wore a thin black shirt with white hems that looked just like a middle school uniform. He also had the black trousers to match. He gave a firm handshake as Naruto gave his name, before stepping back as the other boy held his own hand out.

"Tadashi Haru." he said, as Naruto shook his hand as well.

"Hikari Emiko." the girl said, with a smile and nod. Naruto returned it, though with an added grin.

"So where'd you come from?" Haru asked, slipping his hands casually into his pockets.

"Konohagakure." Naruto replied.

…

"HUH?!" the three exclaimed, looking at Naruto in shock.

"You came all the way from Konoha?!" Emiko asked, her large eyes widening even further. Naruto looked between them bewilderedly, wondering where such a reaction had come from.

"Uh… yeah." he said, with a blank look, "I came here a couple of months ago."

"No kidding." Haru said, leaning back with an impressed look, "So what, you're parents drag you here?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked, taken by surprise, "Oh, no. I'm here on my own."

Once more he was met with stunned stares at the apparently shocking reveal. At least they weren't all leaning in this time or crying out.

"Man, this guy's got a back story I gotta hear." Haru said in as steady a tone as his contradicting expression could manage. Kenta and Emiko both nodded in agreement, neither taking their eyes of Naruto. Yuuka smiled, stepping forward.

"That's great, why don't we go find a place to get something to drink then?" she offered, looking between Naruto and the others.

"That sounds like a great idea." Emiko agreed, nodding.

"Yeah, let's go." Haru said, turning to his left. Everyone else followed him as he headed to one of the streets that converged into this square, Naruto taking only a second to realise they were on the move.

They didn't go very far, just to the middle of the street they'd just entered. To their left was a newsagent of sorts, a small shop with magazines, newspapers, the works. Haru stepped inside, but the others stayed out. Naruto quietly wondered why they weren't following him in, but didn't ask. However, he did look over his shoulder as Yuuka tapped his arm, looking at her questioningly.

"Maybe you should be careful of what you say." she whispered, "The truth might be a little difficult to believe."

Naruto blinked in confusion, but then gave Yuuka a grin and nod of understanding. Emiko caught this and looked at them crossly, placing her hands on her hips in a very childish manner.

"Hey, no secret conversations!" she protested.

"Sorry!" Yuuka said, with an apologetic giggle. Naruto just looked blankly, he wasn't really sure what the problem was.

The door to the shop opened again and Haru stepped out, his arms filled with different coloured cans. He stood in the centre while he handed a can to each person.

"Thanks." Naruto said, as he was given his. He was surprised by the gesture, but thought questioning it would be rude. Haru just grinned and shrugged, before gesturing for them to follow him further. They were walking for about a minute, leaving the main streets and passing through housing districts before Yuuka spoke up.

"So where's Aki-kun?" she asked, looking at Emiko. The blond girl nodded towards Naruto pointedly.

"There's a new guy, what do you think he's doing?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Haru and Kenta both looked quietly tired, and Yuuka sighed loudly, though none offered explanation.

It didn't take them much longer to reach their apparent destination, a set of stone stairs inside a narrow street. Haru sat on the stairs, resting his arms on his knees as he opened his drink.

"So come on, spill it." he said, before taking a sip. Kenta sat down next to him and Emiko leant against the wall, both looking at Naruto with expectant curiosity, "How come you moved from a place like Konoha to a place like Ame? It's not exactly a step up if you know what I mean."

"Uh, well…" Naruto muttered, looking up at the sky as he thought it over, Yuuka leant against the wall opposite Emiko, giving him an encouraging look, "I lived in Konoha most my life, and worked hard in the academy to become a ninja. But I wasn't really good with chakra, I failed the exam twice."

"Heh, it's not easy." Haru replied with a smirk, "I failed too, this is my second time around."

Naruto smirked too, glad there was someone who knew where he was coming from. He looked down at the still sealed can in his hands, as he thought about what he should and shouldn't say.

"It wasn't really great living there." he continued with well hidden caution, "I was sort of lonely with everyone I knew either passing the exam or giving up. And when I took the exam the second time, it didn't really look like I made much progress. My senseis gave me a hard time, and in the end it was just too difficult to stay. In the end I just left, I met someone who led me here and things just sort of moved along."

He looked up from his can to the others as he finished talking, looking at them with a raised brow. They each stared silently at him, with slightly sorry looks.

"I guess Konoha would give their students a harder time." Kenta said, in a light tone. Haru nodded, his expression relaxing.

"So does this mean you're gonna be signing up to the academy here?" he asked, with an excited look on his face.

"Huh?" Naruto exhaled in surprise, "Well, no, I'm already-"

He was cut off in mid sentence as he suddenly spotted something up above. He quickly focused on the small object in the sky, his eyes widening in shock. He dropped his can, as a kunai flew straight at him.

_Clank!_


	44. Unprecedented change

Y'know, I recently started reading the manga over again, and made a shocking discovery. I've pretty much turned Naruto into Inari. Upon realising that, I'd like to apologise to all of you who have put up with that for all this time, and give you this chapter, which is longer than the recent updates and hopefully a lot better. Let me know what you think, I wanna fix this.

Disclaimer: Anyone else think Sakura and Sasuke are gonna die together in the manga? I hope I don't get flamed for asking that, but it's just a thought that keeps resurfacing.

* * *

**Unprecedented change**

The wind whistled through the streets, scattering dirt and litter across the ground. It was the only movement made, there was hardly a breath in the air or a beat of the heart. Everyone stared in shock, their mouths hanging and their eyes wide at the stunning sight before them. Yuuka and Emiko had both straightened up from the fright, Haru and Kenta were pretty much frozen stiff. They all looked at Naruto, who gripped a kunai in his hand, the point barely a centimetre from his left eye.

While everyone's eyes were fixed on him, he watched the kunai, as if it were about to complete its journey despite his tight hold. In any other situation he would react quicker, he'd just been attacked and instinct was trying to kick in. He wasn't worried about that though, since the person who had thrown the blade now stood beside him, with a hand hanging near the kunai and an astounded expression.

Naruto slowly turned his head to the person, his expression not of anger or fear, the shock had left him with only a questioning look. He fixed his eyes on the culprit, a boy no older than he was. The boy was staring at the kunai, his hand ready to grab it, but hesitating. Naruto looked at the boy's face, his dark shaggy brown hair almost obscured his bewildered silver eyes. His tanned skin was a little paler than it should be, and his mouth showed his surprise, all his teeth were visible but he definitely wasn't grinning. Haru seemed to be the first to recover, setting his can down on the stair below with an angered expression.

"Fucking hell Akihiko, that's taking it too far!" he yelled, rising to his feet threateningly. The gesture seemed to snap the others out of their daze too, Akihiko especially.

"Like hell, I was gonna catch it!" he yelled back, before angrily grabbing the kunai from Naruto's hand and slipping it back into his blue forehead protector. He seemed to hold kunai inside there for some reason, three on each side with the points turned up at about forty five degrees, like feathers in a cap. He turned and struck the wall next to Naruto with his back, crossing his arms and glaring at the ground.

"Are you ok Naruto-kun?" Yuuka asked, as she placed her hand on his arm with a look of concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Naruto replied, with a small grin. Yuuka kept her concern, but stepped back at his encouraging smile. Haru sat back down on the steps, an irritable look on his face.

"All right lets get this over with." he sighed, picking up his can. Akihiko took a step forward, scowling at Haru.

"Like I need you to tell me what to do!" he exclaimed. But he then seemed to lose his anger as a smirk appeared on his face. He moved himself so he was about a metre in front of Naruto, his expression of self importance, "So I understand you're gonna join the academy. An admirable goal, but a foolish one."

"Wha?" Naruto sounded, already confused. Akihiko ignored it however, he seemed too focused on himself.

"Because with me around, there's no need for other ninja!" he announced, giving an unnecessarily emphasised thumbs up, "The name's Takashi Akihiko, the future of Ame!"

Naruto glanced at the others, seeking advice on how he was supposed to react. But everyone was averting their gazes, even Yuuka, all of them wearing looks of embarrassment. Naruto tried to grab their attention with expression alone, but Akihiko grabbed him by the shoulder and forced his attention back onto him.

"Though I understand if you still want to try." he said, as he studied his free hand with apparent interest, "If your wish is to one day fight beneath me, then go ahead and become a ninja as you please!"

"I'm already a ninja."

Silence floated through the air, quieter than even Akihiko's appearance had been. All eyes were on Naruto, Yuuka's being the only one to show no exaggerated expression. Other than that, incredulousness and bewilderment took up the atmosphere, Naruto could almost feel it weighing down on him. Akihiko stared at him in disbelief, his mouth hanging open and his forgotten hand hovering in the air. Naruto just stared blankly back at him, waiting for something to be said.

"Y-you're a ninja." Akihiko repeated, his eye twitching slightly.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, just as straightforward as before.

"You're a ninja?!" Haru exclaimed, back on his feet once more.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, looking at him but speaking the same.

"But you told us you failed in Konoha!" Emiko said, stepping forward, "And we haven't seen you in Ame's academy!"

"Well, I'm sorta a special case." he said, with a modest grin, "I'm not really affiliated with a village yet."

Akihiko seemed to suddenly recover because of these words, his expression becoming angry again.

"Don't try to trick me, you can't become a ninja until a hidden village enlists you!" he said, "Where's your forehead protector huh? Ninja should proudly wear those at all times!"

"It's in my apartment." Naruto replied, "I didn't want to get it dirty, so I left it there."

"Tch, right." Akihiko said, sceptically, "That would be the convenient thing to say, wouldn't it?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto could see Haru and the others start to give looks of doubt. He spotted Yuuka's worried expression, and realised that this was the sort of thing she'd warned him about. In that case, he knew he'd need to prove it to them, but he didn't want to overdo it.

"So I need to carry my stuff with me all the time?" he asked, as he placed both his feet on the wall behind him and crouched down, resting his arms and his knees, "Isn't that showing off a little?"

Akihiko and the others stared at him as he stuck to the wall, the apparent ninja in front of him letting out a steady "uuuuuuhhhh…". He looked to the others and grinned, by their expressions they didn't know ninjas could do this.

"Ok, maybe you _are_ a ninja." Akihiko admitted, with an annoyed look. He placed a hand on his hip as he took a step back, studying Naruto up and down, "You sure don't look like much though."

"Aki-kuuun!" Yuuka gasped, looking at Akihiko reproachfully. But the shaggy boy ignored her, continuing his observation. Naruto decided to do the same.

He looked to be about the same height as Naruto, and dressed rather unusually even for a Shinobi. He wore a moss green waistcoat with a brown and gold flowing design on it, like an autumn forest. Under that though, he was shirtless with only white bandages bound to his gut, and a dark grey muffler wrapped around his neck. On his arms he wore black elbow guards and brown leather fingerless gloves. The outfit on his lower half was made up of beige cargo shorts, with the rest of his legs wrapped in bandages too. A pair of black sandals and a weapons holster attached to the belt strap on his left finished his outlandish outfit.

"Still, you probably haven't had any good missions yet." Akihiko said, when he finished scanning Naruto, "I bet you haven't even left the village on a mission yet."

"Well, I went to the Land of Rivers for an escort mission." Naruto replied simply, "And there was-"

"Come on Aki-kun, stop giving him a hard time!" Yuuka said, stepping between the two boys. Naruto looked at Yuuka in surprise, wondering if she thought the conversation was getting dangerous. He couldn't really be sure himself, so he just trusted her judgement. Akihiko stared at Yuuka with wide eyes, before bowing his head quickly, his hair hiding his eyes in shadow.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." he said, backing off. That threw Naruto as well, was Akihiko's cheeks a little red?

"Man, now there's two ninja." Haru muttered, "Aki-kun is gonna be unbearable."

"Shut up!" Akihiko yelled, glaring at Haru, who just shrugged and sipped his drink.

"Just no causing fights in the street, alright?" he asked, sitting back. Akihiko got a strange glint in his eye from those words that made Yuuka step in front of him.

"Aki-kuun." she said suspiciously, like a mother who caught her child sneaking around past their bedtime. Once again Akihiko seemed to grow flustered, stepping back.

"Ok ok, I got it." he said, pulling his muffler up so it covered the lower half of his face, "But I wanna see what this guy is made of sometime."

"Well that's only if Naruto-kun agrees." Yuuka stressed, in a clear tone. Akihiko gave a nod, his fingers still gripping his muffler as his hair hid the rest of his face.

"Anyway." Haru said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket and pulling out a can, "Lets just relax huh?"

He tossed the can to Akihiko, who caught it in his hand. Yuuka crouched down and picked up Naruto's handing it back to him.

"Thanks." Naruto said with a smile. Yuuka returned it and stood next to him, leaning against the wall. Akihiko took his place opposite Naruto, opening his can and drinking from it. Naruto put his feet back on the ground, and looked at the small group of strangers around him. He didn't know what to make of them, he didn't know anything about them. All he could really do was open his drink, and yell in shock as he and Yuuka were sprayed with the contents.

* * * * *

Things had passed by pretty peacefully after that. Once Akihiko had cooled off and Naruto and Yuuka got back from a nearby public toilet from drying themselves, things had become surprisingly calm. They all stood against the walls or sat on the stairs, and just talked about… _stuff_. It was strange how simple it was, yet unusual at the same time. To Naruto, it felt almost exactly the same as when he hung out with Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba, but not quite. There was something different here that he couldn't really place, a feeling like… like no ones eyes were lingering on him. It was kind of strange, to really feel like a member of a crowd, and not just someone _in_ a crowd.

They had spent the rest of the day just talking, laughing, wandering, all sorts of incomprehensible things that Naruto just seemed to enjoy. By the time they had to part ways, he was left with a grin he couldn't get rid of, though he had no desire to try. Even as he removed his pullover and tossed it onto his bed, he still found himself cheerfully smiling. It wasn't until he came out of the shower later and realised he had nothing to change into now, that his smile dropped.

"Damn, I should've bought more clothes." he muttered, as he rubbed his hair with a towel.

"Should've, could've, didn't."

Naruto resisted a chuckle, glad to see Eko was talking again. He'd held a grim silence ever since Naruto had come to collect him, and heated up considerably when Naruto made note of the good job that had been done. It seemed Eko was quite embarrassed, but had now finally relaxed.

Naruto glanced at the front door as he heard a knocking, his brow raised as he wondered who it could be. Of course, the best way to find that answer was to look, which was precisely the course of action he chose to take. He threw on the clothes he'd been wearing before and opened the door, surprised to see Konan on the other side.

"Hi." he said, dumbly.

"Pein needs to see you whenever you're ready." Konan told him, "It's about your mission."

"Oh, ok." Naruto replied, stepping out into the hallway. Konan gave a quick bow of the head before heading for the stairs, with Naruto close behind. It seemed she had another destination though, for she descended where he needed to climb.

He stepped out into the hall on the next floor up, and walked to the door to the usual room. He pressed his hand against the solid frame, and the pushed the door open. He looked inside the room, a difficult task since very little of the sun's light got through. Despite his being called upon, he could see no sign of Pein inside the room, it was as empty as it was this morning. He looked up above, wondering if Pein had wanted him to meet him up _there_. Since none of his other bodies were down here, that certainly seemed the most likely case. He closed the door and turned around, but then stopped.

He fixed his eyes upon a tall door, almost identical to the one now behind him. Where the past door had been black, this one was made of a red wood, the shadows and light cast by the colour's ways would make it nearly impossible to miss. Yet somehow Naruto had, and after a moments inspection he realised why. Paper seals were cast outside the door, two on either side and two above. Though he knew nothing of Fuinjutsu, he was aware enough to recognise that this is what it was. After all, how else could he have gone so long without seeing it?

Curiosity got the better of him, and made him want the answers to the questions running through his mind. He took the few steps needed to reach the door, and carefully pushed it open.

"Naruto-san."

Naruto nearly jumped in fright, but caught himself at the last moment. Pein's Deva realm occupied the room before him, clearly hard at work. It was a surprise, this room was of the same build as the other one, same size and even an alcove in the back, yet it shared none of the qualities.

First of all the alcove had been caged over, iron bars running across it both vertically and horizontally. Because of the black veil, little sunlight could get through, and so the room was lit artificially. However, this was not done by torches as he was so familiar with, but hanging lights above.

Pein sat behind a large mahogany desk, a dark green marble barely visible beneath countless files and sheets of paper. There were also filing cabinets placed in both corners on either side of the alcove, each with drawers open and papers poking out. It seemed every flat surface was used to a means, the room was a mess of the likes Naruto had never expected from someone with such a prominent character like Pein.

"Come in." Pein said, as he placed the pen in his hand aside, "I prefer to keep the place where I work and the place where I think aside, please excuse the mess."

"Uh, sure thing." Naruto replied, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the very busy looking room. He glanced at the crimson wallpaper with a gold embroidery design. He could certainly see why it would be hard to have clear thoughts in such a place, when everything in sight was a distraction.

"How are you recovering?" Pein asked, sitting back in his tall chair and looking at Naruto with tired eyes.

"Yeah, I think I'm good now." Naruto replied, rubbing the right side of his chest where the largest scar was, "Breathing was a little slow, but it's fine now."

"I'll send Kohaku-san to give you a check up tomorrow." Pein said, propping his elbow on the arm of the chair and resting his head on his hand, "He asked to be kept informed of your status, he'll get first hand results this way."

"Oh, ok." Naruto said, dropping his hand to his side with a blank look, "So… you wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Pein replied, sitting up as he reached under the desk. A low grinding sound told Naruto that he was opening a drawer, though it was too low down for him to actually see. What he took from it was another, slightly less bulky folder which he added to the pile on his desk. He rifled through it with a bored expression, stopping on the page he was looking for, "There is a certain item I need you to procure."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, taking a seat at the smaller chair at the front of the desk. Pein looked up at him, resting his chin on his intertwined hands.

"You recall those creatures you faced, the salamanders?" he asked rhetorically, knowing no one would soon forget such a thing unless they had an impairment of memory, "Those were an unexpected outcome, I never imagined Hanzo to be able to summon so many at once. He had an accomplice, apparently their joint efforts made it so."

Naruto nodded, glad to at least know the reason behind those monster's presence, even if he didn't know how they managed to do such a thing. He hadn't even thought to ask about it back then, the shock was too great and the event too fleeting.

"Had I known such a thing was possible, I would have reconsidered sending you to collect Gaara-san and would have sent you somewhere else." Pein continued, leaning further forward, "I take it you know nothing of the "Kuchiyose no Jutsu"?"

Naruto shook his head, confirming what Pein already believed.

"It is a Jutsu that requires a pact to be made between a Shinobi and that which they wish to summon." he explained, sitting back once more, "The act of making this pact results in a seal that is placed both on a contract, and in the Shinobi's blood. Take for example, those salamanders. Each one shares the blood seal with the contract, just like the Shinobi. Therefore, the contract acts as a conduit for summoning the salamander, much like a scroll is used to store weapons."

"So, if you make a pact with an animal, you can summon it at any time?" Naruto asked, greatly surprised by the concept.

"Not quite, only certain types of animals can summon or be summoned." Pein replied, waving away Naruto's partially incorrect question, "Animals with specific chakra systems are the only ones that can be summoned. For example, though Hanzo could summon salamanders, it's not to say he can summon any salamander, only the ones who share chakra signatures with the leader of their group."

Naruto just stared, that was a little out of his depth. Pein seemed to recognise that, and just waved it away like he did Naruto's question.

"It's no matter, the intricacies are irrelevant." he said, picking up the folder and studying it, "What I need is for you to locate a certain scroll, a contract, and bring it here. It is for my use with Animal realm."

He reached out and placed the folder before Naruto, who leant forward to look at it. He saw on the left page a map of a country he didn't recognise, while the other page was a document filled with handwriting.

"There is a place, along the border between Kuma no Kuni and Taki no Kuni." Pein said, as Naruto's eyes were drawn to the red circle drawn on the map, "It is there that this scroll is located, in the den of a very rare species of dog."

Naruto looked up at Pein as he finished his sentence, the scroll was for dogs? Pein ignored his questioning look though, and continued.

"These dogs live in a deep part of the valleys found in that country, and have lived there for a long time." Pein continued, "A long time ago those valleys were filled with a poisonous gas, and the dogs were forced to remain in their den because of that. It was very difficult for them to survive, they lived on in the caves hidden amongst the waterfalls, where the gas could not reach them. It is unclear how they survived all this time, but from the rumours I have heard, it is definitely worth investigating."

"So you want Gaara and me to go find this scroll?" Naruto asked, resting his arms on his knees as he leant forward, "But what about the gas?"

"Oh, that has long since cleared." Pein replied, casually, "Small atmospheric changes caused the gas to move out to the sea, where it was destroyed by storms. But dogs are quite territorial animals, they won't leave what they now consider their home without good reason."

Pein leant forward again, pressing his hands on the desk as he stood up. He looked at Naruto with a serious expression, locking eyes with the blond boy.

"Understand that this mission is quite dangerous." he said, when he was sure he had Naruto's full attention, "Those dogs have been secluded for a long time, they will not accept intrusion into their home. Most likely you will have to fight your way to their leader, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. They live in caves, their eyesight should be a great deal weaker than most, they will probably rely on their ears and noses for getting around. Use your Kage Bunshin to distract their senses. Otherwise, Gaara-san's shield should suffice in protecting you. However, be ready to fight if that fails."

Naruto nodded, taking every single word in. By the sound of things, this was going to be really dangerous. The look on Pein's face was enough to tell him this, his words only emphasised that.

"Of course, getting around yourself will also be difficult." Pein added, straightening up, "Prepare accordingly, you will be running in low light situations, with an enemy that specialises in tracking scent. Do not take this lightly, or you will certainly die."

Naruto swallowed hard, disliking this idea more and more. But at the same time, he knew Pein was putting a lot of faith in him by giving him such a dangerous mission, so he could hardly chicken out.

"Ok, got it." he said, before grinning nervously, "But I don't think Gaara-san will be too willing to protect me with his sand."

Pein stared at Naruto, a strange look in his eyes that suggested something impossible to determine. He turned away from the blond boy, stepping around his chair so that he stood facing the bars on the alcove.

"I find it strange that you would say such a thing." he said, causing Naruto to look at him in surprise, "Could it be that you've given up on your goal?"

Naruto couldn't answer, he was too bewildered by what was being said. Pein looked over his shoulder at the boy, realising this.

"You once told me it had been your dream to become Hokage, and then you were determined to find the other Jinchuriki." he said, looking between the grill to the village outside, "You took to your training with such enthusiasm, and sought Gaara out with a vigilance that I have not seen in a very long time. Yet now you sit here, admitting defeat lying down?"

Whatever Naruto had been thinking, of anything he could say, was silenced by Pein's words. He couldn't help but feel like he was being cut through again, as if there was some sort of contempt coming from the orange haired man before him.

"You believe that Gaara is too different from you, that you cannot change him for the better." Pein stated, without even having to look for confirmation, "Was it not your wish to find people like you, who you could feel close to?"

Naruto blinked, before slowly bowing his head. Pein was right, he's forgotten. And upon that realisation, he felt ashamed. What was he doing, being so pessimistic? That wasn't his style, it never was. What right did he have to mope, to feel sorry for himself?

"_DAMN IT!"_ he thought, grabbing his hair and pulling, _"I thought I was done with this crap!"_

Pein turned around to watch Naruto as he growled at himself, not making any effort to stop the boy or show any signs of concern. He simply kept his eyes on the boy, waiting for whatever was going to happen. He didn't have long to wait, soon Naruto was on his feet, giving him a glare Pein didn't think the boy was capable of.

"I'll get that contract." Naruto said, in a strong and steady voice, "And when I get back, I'm gonna train my ass off!"

Pein resisted a smirk as he leant against the grill, folding his arms calmly.

"I must say, I'm surprised you changed your mind so quickly." he said, before allowing his smirk, "You really are rather fickle, aren't you?"

Naruto let out a small laugh between his determined grin, one that made him look quite the animal. Pein closed his eyes, bowing his head a little.

"It's fortunate then that I sent word to Kisame-san recently." he said, "In little over a month he shall make his way here to take you and Gaara-san on a proper training trip."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock at that revelation, his grin falling and his jaw dropping.

"Kisame-sensei's gonna train us again?" he asked. Pein nodded, and his grin returned, "Right!"

He turned and ran straight out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Pein watched the space the boy had been just seconds ago, shaking his head in mild disbelief.

"_That boy."_

* * * * *

The sun was quite low today, lingering over the horizon as it said its last goodnights. The air was cool and relaxed, barely a scent in the wind to tell of anything at all. It was pretty quiet too, the birds had long stopped singing and left the trees to make their contented sighs. Neji lay idly on the wall bordering an old and dusty street, his hands behind his head and his leg hanging off the edge as he watched the stars start to appear.

It was peaceful, one of his favourite times of the day, dawn and dusk. He would have been satisfied to just lose himself in the stars for that night, that calm and tranquil night. He would, but unfortunately he couldn't. As tempting as it was, there was something very important he needed to do. It was that important thing that was the reason for his being here in this dead, deserted compound.

He looked down into the street, he knew very well that a certain person would be passing through here on his nightly walk, and waited patiently for that person to arrive. He had been here for a while, though there was no real need. His quarry's habits were fairly methodical.

At last, he spotted the person he sought walk around a corner from another street, heading steadily in Neji's general direction. Uchiha Sasuke walked with his hands deep inside his pockets, and his eyes fixed on the ground. He didn't seem to notice Neji, though he had no real reason to. But when he got closer, he faintly sensed something that made him look up and spot Neji, who had his eyes back on the sky. Neji could tell that Sasuke was about to say something, but was faltering. He watched from his peripheral vision as the Uchiha made his decision. He didn't say anything, but nor did he make any move to leave. Neji allowed a cool smile to pass across his lips, of all the things he knew the raven haired boy to lack, pride certainly wasn't one of them. But just for amusements sake, Neji decided to ignore Sasuke for a while longer, leaving him there to wait. Of course, prideful though he may be, Sasuke was most certainly not patient.

"Why are you here?" he demanded, proving his second lacking; manners.

"There's no need to take such a tone." Neji said, keeping his eyes on the above, "Will you blame me for giving it my all back there?"

Sasuke scowled at the understatement, he had long since made his opinion of the Hyuga prodigy.

"You attacked Hinata, even though you knew she didn't have the scroll." he said, coldly, "And then you did the same in the preliminaries. Don't try and convince me that you were "giving it your all"."

Neji smirked, a small laugh escaping in a breath. He slid off the wall and down onto the ground, slipping his hands into his pockets as he casually walked towards Sasuke.

"I'll admit, there was more behind our fight than simply wishing to continue with the exam." he admitted, without any shame, "However, I have no reason to explain such things to a person like you."

Sasuke averted his gaze, looking straight ahead as Neji drew nearer.

"Why are you here?" he repeated, not letting himself fall to Neji's taunts. The Hyuga couldn't help but smirk at that, it was certainly admirable of him.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok." he said, though it was clear Sasuke didn't believe him, "I heard you received a nasty bite back there."

Sasuke whipped his head to Neji, his eyes wide in shock and anger. He took a step back, glaring at the pale eyed boy.

"You're working for Orochimaru?!" he exclaimed. Neji smirked at the reaction, enjoying the look on Sasuke's face.

"I am, though that is no cause for alarm." he replied, "In fact, I would think knowing that would be interesting to you, since you and I are in the same situation."

Sasuke's brow creased, but his glare remained. Neji stepped around him, his cool and collected look unfaltering under Sasuke's incredulous stare.

"You mean…" Sasuke said, his throat suddenly feeling a little dry.

"That you and I are in the same situation." Neji repeated, as he reached up to his forehead protector. Sasuke's eyes fixed on that spot as the metal plate was lifted, and the three tomoe seal was revealed. The Uchiha's mouth hung open, disbelief painted on his face.

"The reason I was able to break through your Sharingan, and defeat you so easily, is all because of what Orochimaru-sama gave me." Neji said, as he lowered his headband again, "With this power, I cannot lose to the Sharingan. Not your's, not Hatake Kakashi's, _and not Uchiha Itachi's_."

Sasuke's pupils shrunk at the mention of that name, his breath becoming rattled and his teeth clenching tight together. Neji smirked at the hateful look on his face, experiencing genuine enjoyment from it.

"All the time I spent training with my team of simpletons and that idiotic sensei of mine gave me nothing compared to what Orochimaru-sama could provide." he continued, before leaning in to look deep into Sasuke's eyes, "I wonder how far you could grow with his guidance? Heavens knows you're getting nowhere fast as you are."

Sasuke was on the verge of snarling, while Neji kept his amusement plain to see. He took a few steps back, before hopping up onto the wall again. He looked over his shoulder with a smirk, his silhouettes framed by the moon.

"I wonder, will you soar to your destiny like an eagle, or nest here like a hen?" he asked, before dropping out of view. Sasuke was left watching the moon, his eyes transfixed… yet lost.


	45. Bearing north

Yo, how's it going? Update on time again, this streak is looking good. I'm slowly getting my word count back up as well, which I'm glad of. By the way, I've been helping a newbie start a story. If you're interested, check out Gama no Naruto by DemonKingSamael. It's a NaruSaku where Naruto comes to Konoha after being raised by Jiraiya in Myobokuzan. He's anti-Hinata, so flamers, you know what to do.

Disclaimer: When writing Naruto fanfics, rereading the manga from the start is pretty useful in any case.

* * *

**Bearing north**

Naruto tied his forehead protector around his head, making sure the knot was done nice and tight. He raised his head, looking into the mirror of his dressing table with a creased brow and a one sided smirk. His clothes had finally been repaired and returned to him, he adorned them now with his cloak and Ekokaeten back in place. He grabbed his weapons holster and satchel, strapping the former to his leg after slinging the latter over his shoulder.

"Haven't seen that look in a while."

"Heh." Naruto grinned, straightening up, "Get used to it."

Eko chuckled as Naruto grabbed his sedge hat from the chair, turned to the door and left his room. He glanced off to his right, spotting Gaara appearing from his own room. Naruto headed towards him while the red haired Shinobi waited, watching the blonde's expression closely.

"You ready?" Naruto asked, stopping by the window.

"Let's just go." Gaara replied, turning to the glass pane and lifting it. He hopped out silently, with the grinner close behind.

Naruto ran down the wall of the tower as Gaara plummeted to the ground, keeping pace easily. Gaara's arms were raised in the air and his cloak billowed and lifted from the wind, the strap around his gourd keeping it from flying up and blinding him. He looked out of the corner of his eye to Naruto, who dashed with his arms flying back, his hair thrown behind him and his expression unchanged.

"What's the mission?" Gaara asked, his voice just audible over the pounding air.

"We gotta find a scroll." Naruto replied, hopping over a jutting pipe, "It's a summoning contract."

Gaara returned his gaze below, slowly pivoting in the air so the he was facing the ground. The movement caused a slight fluctuation in the speed of his descent, but soon he accelerated, passing Naruto and plunging to the streets far below. Naruto's grin widened, and he upped his speed, kicking off so he flew after Gaara, arms pinned to his sides as he shot downwards. Without a large gourd, he was much more aerodynamic and soon caught up with the red haired boy, before adjusting himself to maintain the same speed.

"What else?" Gaara asked, keeping his eyes on the ground below.

"Apparently it's held by the animals that the contract is for." Naruto explained, his focus on the same place, "Dogs that live in caves. According to Pein-san it's gonna be pretty dangerous."

They both simultaneously turned in the air, kicking off the wall as they shot through the streets, leaping from wall to wall of the skyscrapers all around. The two of them cast their eyes above as they saw the sky start to darken, it looked like it was time for some rain. They both upped their pace, Gaara following Naruto as he took a left turning and heading towards the north gates.

The rain started slowly, casting down in a light shower that was barely noticed. It seemed like Pein was giving them time to leave, but for some reason couldn't wait until they were gone. Gaara glanced over his shoulder, though there was nothing to see.

"It would seem there's another agenda to this mission." he said, looking ahead again. Naruto glanced at him with a raised brow, though didn't look back himself.

"You think he's tryna keep us out of the fight or something?" he asked, with a blank expression.

"That or this scroll is important to this war." Gaara replied, "In either case, he wishes for us to leave quickly."

"Heh, if that's the way it is then we'll just have to hurry back!" Naruto said, landing on a hanging sign and kicking off of it. Once more he earned a look from Gaara, but nothing was said on it.

They passed over the busy streets, bustling with people making their way around. Naruto cast his eyes down to them, their size making them indistinguishable from this height. But of what he could see, they were in hurry, heading from wherever they had come from to wherever they were going with discerned haste. It seemed that they were aware of the ongoing battle, even though the fighting seemed to have taken to the shadows. Ever since the initial attack, not even Naruto had bared witness to any signs of the coup, all had been silent in his perception. But he could see that the people below were not so lax, not a single one of them was at ease.

"_Looks like this is what Pein-san was talking about."_ Naruto thought, as he watched with a creased brow. It soon passed however, and he was smirking again, _"Guess we better wrap this thing up quick."_

He turned in the air and ran along the wall of a hulking building, the rain hitting his face lightly as it began to grow stronger. He grabbed his sedge hat and put it in place, before returning to a vertical position. Gaara had already done that, it was obvious to anyone who thought about it that he didn't much like the rain.

"Where is this scroll?" Gaara asked, as he landed on the sign above Naruto's.

"Kuma no Kuni." Naruto replied, before looking up questioningly, "You ready for a long mission?"

"The duration of the mission was about all I was informed of." Gaara said, dropping down and running across a ledge on the building, "I prepared as much as possible without details."

Naruto blinked as he was suddenly hit with a realisation. He came to a sudden stop, perching on a pole that stuck out from someone's window. Gaara came to a stop too, landing on the next balcony as he turned to face Naruto.

"You don't know if there's a hardware store around do ya?" Naruto asked, faintly hoping he did, "I just remembered some stuff we need."

Gaara stared at Naruto for four solid seconds, four seconds that made Naruto's ego fall a metre at a time. But once that time had passed, the red haired boy leant to his right, allowing himself to fall off the balcony. Naruto let out an exasperated sigh, before dropping off the pole and following him.

* * * * *

Back in the tower, Pein let out an exasperated sigh. It seemed Naruto and Gaara were taking a detour, for whatever reason. That was a complication, even if a minor one. He turned away from the alcove and stepped off the ledge into the dark room, heading for the door and opening it. He cocked a brow as he bumped into Konan, who was about to enter.

"Everyone's ready, we're just waiting for a signal." she said, lowering her outstretched hand.

"Naruto-san is still in the vicinity." Pein replied, stepping past her and entering the room opposite. Konan followed him, closing the door behind her, "I would estimate it at about an hour before we can safely begin, but let's wait until we actually know."

He took a seat at his desk, while Konan lowered herself onto the chair opposite. She watched as Pein began looking over a random sheet of paper, she knew he hated doing this kind of work.

"Has there been word from the others?" she asked, in an attempt to get his mind off the menial work in front of him.

"Sasori-san is still in the middle if his mission in Yuki no Kuni." Pein replied, dropping the sheet back on the desk and immediately forgetting it, "Deidara-san was complaining about not being able to use his abilities to his full potential."

"Why would Sasori-san take a mission where his partner was at a disadvantage?" Konan asked, a little confused by such a decision.

"I think that _was_ his reason." Pein replied, resting his head on his hand. Konan resisted a smile, but it faintly flickered on her lips. Pein caught it and gave a small smirk, "Their ability to squabble so continuously is an amazement in itself."

Konan nodded in agreement. Out of all of Akatsuki, those two were certainly the most interesting. They were the only ones who Zetsu ever felt the need to report on, and usually it was because of such "squabbles". On more than one occasion Pein had been forced to speak to them about their actions, though he had given up on such things when it proved to be ineffective.

Pein looked away, idly fixing his eyes upon the wall to his right. Konan lowered her gaze to her hands, which were clasped on her lap. They had both fallen silent, neither had very much to say. The lights flickered ever so slightly, but it was ignored by both of them. Konan cast a quick glance at Pein, but he kept his eyes fixed on the wall. Outside, the rain fell, slowly growing heavier with each passing minute. It was the most activity that seemed to be going on, that constant hiss that ran through the bars.

"You never leave."

Konan blinked, her head lifting as she looked at Pein, who still watched the wall with a tired expression.

"What?" she asked, both stunned and uncertain. She looked straight into Pein's eyes, and realised that he was looking at the wall, but not seeing it.

"Every day you are here, and every night you remain." he said, his tone implying idle conversation, but his words suggesting other wise, "Every time Naruto-san comes and goes, I can sense him. The same goes for Gaara-san. But in the short time the two of them have been here, they both have come and gone more than you have in a while."

"Is there something wrong with that?" Konan asked, as she began to take offence.

"Of course there is." Pein replied, his casual tone slipping slightly, "Though you may go anywhere you please, you never do. You bind yourself to this place with an almost dependent grip. I find that to be very…"

Konan's brow creased as Pein looked straight at her, all signs of calm gone, and replaced with something else.

"Irritating." he said, with a great deal of emphasis.

Konan's eyes widened, her expression almost turning into a glare of shock. Pein looked at her coldly, showing no remorse or regret despite his full knowledge of the effects of his words. Konan breathed through her teeth, her tight jaw was the epitome of emotion she would allow to release. But her resistance was faltering, her hear beat increasing.

"Irritating?" she repeated, placing her hands on the arm rests and beginning to rise, "What are you-"

She stopped, her hands tightening their grip on the chair. Her eyes were still wide, but not in anger. She looked down at the desk, something beyond the papers and wood catching her notice. Her expression relaxed, and she slumped back into the chair with her hand hovering just above her eyes. Pein's brow rose curiously as he watched her, wondering what brought on this sudden change.

"You say I'm a poor judge of character…" Konan slowly said, "But when you say what you're thinking in such a way, how can I not get confused?"

Pein continued to look at her as she maintained that position, his lips parted in slight surprise. He could faintly see Konan's eyes in the shadow of her hand, they were locked on his without any of the despair her body suggested. She was waiting for an answer, and he could see her patience was thinning.

"Then I apologise." he said, with a cool smile. The look in Konan's eyes didn't change, but he could tell he had at least caught her attention. He turned his head to the right, resting it against the back of the chair as he looked out into space, "I am bound by my role to stay hidden in this tower. It is my duty to remain here, out of sight as I am."

Konan's eyes blinked, her mood calming ever so slightly. But she didn't speak, or give Pein any reason to discontinue what he was saying. She awaited more.

"However, you are free to do as you choose." he continued, his smile widening just a little, "But you do not, or rather, you _choose_ not to."

He sighed loudly, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. He looked Konan deep into her eyes, as she did him.

"I should have realised that Hanzo had concealed himself and have Deva realm chasing a fake." he said, making sure Konan heard every word clearly, "But I was… taken off guard."

Those last words were what triggered the change, Konan's look dropping from seer surprise. Her hand fell down to the arm of the chair, and she looked at Pein.

"Taken off guard?" she repeated, confused. Pein nodded, hanging his head.

"It was most likely an adverse reaction on my real body, feeling the sunlight for the first time in a long while." he said, in a more humorous tone than one of longing, "But when the wall was broken down… even if only for a second… I was… _dazed_."

* * * * *

The rain fell heavily down from the sky, pounding the ground unforgivably. The darkened sky confused most, it questioned if the sun was present at all. A chill wind swirled through the air, cutting the skin and piercing the lungs. Naruto and Gaara ran through this weather, out the north gates and off to the distance.

Naruto shrugged his satchel, which was a little fuller than it was before. He kept his head low and his collar high, keeping as much of the rain off of him as possible. It wasn't so easy for Gaara, despite how weightless that gourd seemed, he couldn't very well bend while running, else his wind resistance would only increase.

"Hey, you ever gone this far north before?" Naruto asked, looking to his left.

"Once or twice." Gaara replied, bowing his head slightly against the downpour, "But not many clients are willing to make the journey to Sunagakure, most of our missions stay within our country."

"Oh." Naruto said, with a raised brow, "What's it like in the desert?"

Gaara looked at Naruto, his expressionless face suggesting nothing clear.

"This is hardly the place for such a discussion." he said, "We've barely started."

"Eh…" Naruto exhaled, before dropping his head, "Right."

"Choose your moments, idiot."

Naruto resisted a growl, it annoyed him to no end when Eko chose these moments to mock him.

They continued on in silence, running across the uneven ground as they made their way up. Naruto already had an idea about where to stop, he'd given a look over a proper map last night, looking for inns to use as resting points. They headed in the general direction of one of those inns, he guessed they'd reach it by the end of the day. In the meantime however, he had an important question to ask.

"Hey, I was thinking…" he said, his eyes hidden beneath rim of his hat, "Back there, things were kind of tough, weren't they?"

Gaara watched Naruto from the corner of his eyes, wondering what the boy was suggesting. Though he didn't give a verbal answer, a quick nod satisfied Naruto's curiosity, and gave him a broad grin.

"Feel like training later?" he asked, with a determined look. That caught Gaara's attention even more so, his eyes were now fixed on Naruto. Even Eko's attention was caught, though in a very different light.

"Tell me something, are you _trying_ to die?"

"Alright." Gaara replied, turning his gaze ahead again. Naruto let out an excited laugh, which seemed a little more feral than a laugh normally was.

"Great." he said, as they passed over a wooden bridge.

"You _are_ trying to die."

* * * * *

Konan looked at Pein, blinking slowly and steadily. The orange haired man watched her with an expressionless, but not stoic face. Both had been silent for a while now, their eyes upon each other, and looking beyond.

"You regret this?" Konan asked, quietly, "You regret doing all this?"

"I told you before that this power is not to be used for my own happiness." Pein replied, "It is inevitable that I would feel some resentment for my decisions, but I don't regret making them."

Konan rose to her feet, turning around to the door.

"I'm coming up." she said, before leaving the room. Pein frowned at the door, following her along the wall with her eyes. He wasn't sure what it was she was planning that needed her to speak to his real face, it was a peculiar situation.

Nagato watched as the door opened and Konan walked in, not even bothering to close it behind her. She cast her hand to the right as she strode towards him, the paper that filled the hole in the wall flying off and up her sleeve. She kept her eyes on Nagato the whole time, not looking away for an instant. She reached him, but continued on, climbing the machine until she was at the same height as him. She looked into his eyes, penetrating and certain.

"You won't die from a couple of minutes." she said, knowing that the man before her knew exactly what she was talking about. His eyes widened in shock, and turned to the faint light breaking through the hole. He watched for several seconds, his thoughts lost even to himself.

"Deva realm…" he said, scarcely finding ability to speak, "Is still… active."

"It won't decompose in the next few minutes." Konan insistently replied. Nagato glanced at her for a second, agreeing with her, though not saying it.

"The chakra receivers." he said, his voice becoming slightly hoarser.

_Shkt!_

He whipped his head around, shocked to see the black rods which pierced his back to be suddenly severed by a long line of paper. As the back poles clattered down onto the ground, he looked back at Konan in alarm his vision returned to being just his own.

"They can be repaired." she said, unfalteringly. Nagato remained hesitant, as he tried to think of other reasons, even while wondering why he was making excuses. In that time of confusion, he barely registered Konan slipping his arms out of their grips, and was awoken only by the hissing sound as she opened up the machine's front, swinging it out on a hinge. He fell forward, the lack of support forcing him to lose his balance. He would have collapsed straight onto the floor had Konan not been there to grab him, supporting his weight with her entire body.

"You're certain about this." he said, his head clearing as he looked at Konan.

"I am." she replied, placing her hand comfortingly on his back and guiding him to the hole. He allowed himself to get pushed along, he hadn't completely forgotten how to walk. But he did take slow steps, his ragged trousers dragging at his heels.

He felt the cold air first, flowing through the large gap. It blew straight at him and ignited his nerves.

"It's so cold." he whispered, barely audible, yet loud enough for Konan to hear.

"It's raining, what do you expect?" she asked, with a calm smile. Nagato glanced at her, taking console from her easygoing expression, even though he knew it was only for the moment. He looked over at the nearing gap once more, they were almost upon it.

The rain cast down hard from the sky, showering the village in its cascading sheen. Despite the early hours, the darkness of the thick clouds had forced the many signs and lights of Ame to be turned on. The place was alight, and _alive_.

They stepped out onto the ledge just outside, Nagato barely acknowledged the cold anymore. He just looked around the village, silent and awestruck. Konan watched him with a sad smile, she knew how long it had been since he had seen this site with is own eyes. Even if Pein had walked the streets, Nagato had been trapped in the tower. She had no idea what he was thinking right now, all she could do was stand beside him.

Nagato's eyes slowly rose, his attention going from the streets below to the taller buildings, and eventually off to the horizon. He could scarcely breath as for the first time in a long while, his world grew to a much larger size.

He looked up higher still, to the clouds above. From where they were standing the rain didn't hit them, but he could still hear it, and more importantly, see it.

"You know… I don't see what Yahiko was always complaining about." he said, with a smile, "It's truly a sight to be seen."

Konan let out a quiet laugh, it seemed her partner was caught up in the past. She was glad, it had always been a worry of hers that he'd forgotten, it was good that he still remembered. Nagato heard her laugh and glanced at her. He had already thought about what he would say next, but after a thought, decided against saying it. Yahiko's last words would only ruin the moment, and the effort Konan had put in to do this. He turned back to the sky, watching it calmly.

* * * * *

Much later that day, Naruto and Gaara had finally arrived at the inn they were going to stay at. It was a good choice, it had a pretty decent hot spring. Gaara hadn't come in though, he'd gone up straight to the room. That left Naruto on his own in the water, his nose barely above the surface.

The rain had receded as the steadily made distance from Amegakure, but the sky was still clouded. A large stream of bubbles burst from the surface of the misting water as Naruto let out a long sigh. It was strange to be out on a mission like this, especially with Gaara for company.

"_Eh, guess this'll be interesting."_ he thought, as he rose out of the water. He turned around and stepped out of the bath, heading for the door to get back inside the inn. Once he was inside, he grabbed one of the towels on offer and began to rigorously dry himself, _"Still, looks like training will have to wait till tomorrow."_

It only took him a few minutes to get dried and dressed, soon he was his way through the well-lit halls towards the room they had paid for. He kept hold of one of the smaller towels as he continued to dry his hair as he walked, vaguely seeing where he was going between his fringe and corners of cloth. It didn't take him long to reach the right room, he slid the door open and stepped inside.

To his surprise, Gaara was laying down on a futon spread on the floor. The red haired boy didn't look up as the door opened, his focus remained on the small white bottle in his hand. Naruto looked at it curiously, it seemed to be some sort of medication. He then recalled Pein saying something on that matter, and spoke up.

"I don't think that's a good idea, since Pein-san isn't around." he commented, as he finished drying his hair. Gaara glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, before placing the bottle down beside him.

"You're probably right." he said, as he tucked his arms behind his head. His cloak and gourd where removed and set aside, he now wore the clothes Naruto had first met him in.

"I didn't think you'd be lying down at all." Naruto said, dropping the now unneeded towel in a hamper in the corner.

"Though I may not sleep, my body still needs rest." Gaara replied, his gaze firmly fixed to the ceiling, "And I burn a great deal more energy because of this."

"Yeah, no kidding." Naruto chuckled exasperatedly. He'd thought he had a big appetite, the kitchen staff hadn't known whether to rub their hands or wipe their brows. Still, with the money they had they could definitely afford it, "I bet those guys in the kitchen are _already_ preparing for breakfast."

Naruto faltered as he heard a strange sound, like a sharp exhale. He glanced over his shoulder to Gaara, who to his endless surprise was wearing a smirk.

"_Did he just laugh?"_ Naruto thought, with a raised brow, _"I think he did!"_

The thought of having done such a thing, even if it had only been small, felt kind of like a huge accomplishment. Naruto found himself unable to restrain, and felt a broad grin spread across his lips.

"Heh heh heh!" he laughed, rubbing his head in embarrassment.


	46. Falling and rising

Ok, I've upped my minimum word limit to 4000 instead of 3500, see how that makes things go. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with this chapter, but fortunately I managed to come up with something. I'm gonna need to think of something new though, there may be the odd filler-style chapter, since I can't really have Naruto and Gaara walking through the woods all the time. Don't worry though, it's nearly impossible for me to write a chapter without havign some character changing effect. And this should be better than that whole Zabuza fiasco, since there will be no canon characters involved.

Disclaimer: Let me know what you think of "the old Suna saying". It's something I came up with on the fly, so not really sure how effective it is.

* * *

**Falling and rising**

He pressed his back against the tree, feeling the damp bark beneath his fingers. His breaths came out hot and heavy, misting in the cool air around him. beads of sweat dripped down his brow, a distraction that threatened his concentration. All around the forest was in silence, an awestruck audience watching from every angle. It left him feeling open and defenceless, every shadow was as much an opportunity as it was a risk.

He cast his eyes all around, barely taking anything in as he sought only the dangers of his surroundings. His ears listened out for the slightest sound of movement, begging for a chance at relief from this suffocating uncertainty. Those were the only senses he could rely on, everything else was the damp smell and chilling touch of the impossibly tall trees coming from everywhere, in an endless circle.

This was a bad idea. That was his recurring thought which began soon after starting. He shouldn't have made the suggestion, this was-

"_Damn it!"_ he thought, grinding his teeth, _"Quit it with the coward stuff!"_

He reached into the weapons holster on his leg and pulled out a kunai, gripping it tight. He reached up with his other hand and wiped his soaked brow, his blond hair hanging over his forehead protector loosely. He slowly peered around the tree, scanning the woods cautiously. When he was sure he was clear, he leapt up to the nearest branch, perching on it soundlessly. He then proceeded to climb higher, until it reached the point where any higher would cost him visibility.

Down below, there was scarcely a sign of any life, the ground was untouched and the air left in peace. He looked over his shoulder, looking at the katana strapped to his back. He stared at it for several seconds, before nodding. He looked back to the front, took a deep breath, and dropped down.

_THROOSH!!!_

"Gagh!" Naruto exhaled, as he was suddenly struck in the gut by hardened sand. He quickly pressed his hands against the mound and pushed off, running down the tree behind him as the sand followed.

He didn't know how, but somehow Gaara had managed to attack him. Yet no matter which direction he looked, every angle was completely devoid of the red haired boy, he was nowhere in view.

"Shit!" he cried out, as he suddenly leapt from the log. It was just in time too, for the spot he would have been otherwise was now penetrated by three thin spikes of sand. He whipped his head up in the direction they must have come from, that had to be the place.

He kicked off another tree and immediately bounded in that direction, heading straight for the position that Gaara must have been hiding in. it seemed he was correct, for just then another torpedo of sand burst from the trees, heading straight for him.

"_Heh, fell for it!"_ he thought, as he clapped his hands, _"Futon: Reppusho!"_

He threw his hands out, not to the sand, but to the open air to his right. The force of the wind blasted him off course, sending him hurtling to the left. As soon as he was clear of the sand, he threw his kunai straight into the leaves, certain of his accuracy. He landed on another tree, crouched and fingers held in a seal.

_THROOM!!!_

The tag on the kunai exploded, shattering the bough and sending it crashing to the ground. Naruto watched carefully, looking for any signs of Gaara. But there were none, a fact that made him in no way relaxed. He saw a small cloud of sand fall down to the ground, and realised his error.

He whipped his head around just as a large shadow fell upon him, nearly blotting out the light. If he hadn't released his chakra right then, he may have suffered painful injury. There was no way he was going to be able to do this on his own, he had decided not to use Eko as a rule, in return for Gaara's restraint from causing serious injury. But that didn't mean getting hit wouldn't hurt, just that they needed to keep from inflicting damage that would keep them from completing their mission.

He landed on the ground, crouched down with his hand pressed into the sift earth. Gaara appeared not far from him, having dropped down from above himself. Naruto kept his position, he'd already worked out that one of the toughest things about Gaara was figuring out where his attacks were coming from. However, he was starting to work things out, with just a little more time he felt he'd be able to come up with an idea. He straightened up quickly, and threw his hands together in a seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. Four clones appeared behind him, each prepped and ready to move. He, along with them, then disappeared in every direction, leaving Gaara on his own.

"Hiding… how pathetic." Gaara muttered, turning around to glance among the trees. When he concluded that there were no visible signs of Naruto anywhere, he closed his eyes. He steadily drew both his arms in, hands clenched into fists. The sand in his gourd and the small piles from his earlier moves were pulled towards his feet, causing a mound sitting around him. once he was satisfied that all was in place, he threw his hands out again, fingers snapping to an outstretched position.

The sand exploded, rushing out in every direction around him, though not ascending past his knees. The clouds struck the trees and brushed past them, continuing on its way as far as momentum would allow. When it finally settled, his hands hung as limply as his head. But then he slowly raised them upwards, casting his finger up to the sky.

_Thooohm._

The sand followed his will and rose in a mist, becoming progressively thinner as it filled the air. All the while his eyes remained closed, his hands dropping back down to his sides.

He could see them. His eyes may be closed, but that didn't matter. They were all around him, watching and waiting. Though they'd noticed the sand, there had been nothing they could do to escape it. It seemed they had then decided to just lie in wait, a foolish choice if ever there was one. Stealth was useless.

"_Kill him…"_

Gaara slowly opened his eyes, a cold, harsh veil cast over his green irises. He turned ever so slightly to his right, and suddenly threw his arm forward.

* * * * *

She blocked his strike with her arm, taking the jab painfully. But she only winced, not allowing herself to give away more than that. She quickly retaliated, lashing out with her kunai half heartedly. But the attack was easily parried, the small blade knocked from her hand and sent spinning into the ground several feet away.

"You're holding back, Tenten." Neji stated, looking to the girl before her with a displeased stare. Tenten looked back at him irately, her breathing heavy.

"You're not exactly taking this seriously either!" she said, brushing her hair out of her face in annoyance. Neji couldn't help but smirk, it was true that it had been his actions that caused the ties in her usually double bun hair to snap, and leave her with a thin brown veil falling down her back and shoulders. However, the dirt on her pink blouse and dark trousers, along with the numerous scrapes across her body, were nothing to smirk at.

"If I'm holding back, then your injuries only make you seem worse off." he said, as he took a couple of prepared steps back, "You are the only member of our team who struggled to pass the preliminary."

Tenten averted her gaze as he said this, the tightening of her jaw and the clenching of her fists were unnecessary hints of her thoughts. Her mind had cast back to that Ame Genin she'd been pitted against, Shigure. She hadn't had any way to defend against his senbon shower, though fortunately Shigure's defences had also been weak. She made it through, but had needed immediate medical attention afterwards. She had been fully recovered for a couple of days now, and so she trained with Neji, who'd been surprisingly welcome to the request. And so they now stood in one of the training grounds, in an open area with patches of grass here and there. The village wasn't far off to the left, they got a good view of it from their place on the hill. But that wasn't why they were here.

"I know that." she said, straightening up, "But it's hard to give it my all when you're using a handicap like _that_."

She was referring of course, to the fact that Neji had bound his left arm behind his back, leaving him only able to use his right. He narrowed his eyes, watching Tenten with harsh scrutiny.

"This arm is far from my only handicap." he replied, taking on a combative stance, "When you can defend yourself from a single hand, _then_ I shall use the other. Until then…"

He ran at her, his free hand held back and ready to strike. Tenten reacted quickly, grabbing another kunai and slashing out with it. Neji curved his wrist under hers and gave a strong jab to the base off her palm, forcing her grip to loosen and the kunai to be knocked out of her hand. He did this in a spinning motion, intending to follow up with an attack to her collar. But Tenten saw this and reacted quickly. In a moment, they were both caught in a deadlock, Neji gripping Tenten's arm to stop her kunai from penetrating his chest.

"Not good enough." he said, unimpressed. Tenten smirked, and with a quick flick of her wrist, switched her grip on the kunai so that the point was almost touching Neji's arm. He grinned, "Better, but…"

With his ring finger, he squeezed, causing Tenten to cry out in shock as she felt her hand spasm and the kunai drop to the ground. Neji's grin widened at her gasp, and he released her arm, though he dragged his index finger along the course of her soft skin. He backed off, watching in interest as she shivered.

"What was _that_?" she asked, gripping her arm with a confused frown.

"You're not the only one training, Tenten-chan." Neji replied, adding a little emphasis to the suffix, "There's something I'm interested in trying out as well."

Tenten let go of her arm, and reached back down for her kunai. Something about the way he said that made her feel nervous, but at the same time she was relieved. It sounded like he was going to put a real effort in now. She readied herself, before charging in, throwing her kunai straight at Neji.

* * * * *

The kunai struck the sand uselessly, before falling to the ground as the shield dispersed. Gaara ground his teeth and raised his arms in defence as Naruto appeared before him, hands clasped together. He pushed his hands as far forward as possible, before the blast of wind pumped through with enough power to blast straight through the shield. Gaara was thrown from his feet. He hurtled through the air for roughly five metres before he landed, the sand cushioning what would have been a hard fall. He propped himself up on his elbow, growling in anger.

"Looks like you need a better defence." Naruto teased, with a smirk, "That sand of yours isn't too reliable."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. He pushed himself back up to his feet, brushing some dirt off his cloak. He then looked at Naruto, his expression returned to its usual stoicism, he was ready to continue. Naruto grinned, though he had used up quite a bit of chakra, this was pretty exciting.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, summoning a pair of clones on either side of him.

The two of them ran at Gaara, who slowly raised his hands, preparing to defend. They both leapt into the air, clapping their hands and thrusting forward just like Naruto had. And just like before, a gust burst out, blasting with incredible force. Instantly the sand shield rose, defending against the wind. But this time it held steady, failing to be broken by the attacks. The clones' eyes widened in shock, but it was a short lived feeling. Almost as soon as they were met with this realisation, they were also met with spikes that burst from the shield, impaling both of them in many places. They disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the sand seemingly untouched. Gaara didn't waste any time pausing though, he raised his hand behind him, defending against the real Naruto's wind attack with the realigned sand. Naruto fell back onto his rear, breathing heavily.

"Damn it…" he panted, "It looks like you're learning more than I am."

"That's not quite true." Gaara replied, as his sand fell back to the ground, "You no longer call out the name of your Futon Jutsu each time you use it, so you have gained considerable advantage there."

"Yeah." Naruto exhaled, sitting up straight, "But I'm pretty exhausted."

"Then we'll stop training." Gaara said, as he gathered the sand back into his gourd, "We should get moving anyway."

Naruto nodded, pushing himself back up to his feet with slight difficulty. Once he was standing straight, he loosely brushed dirt off his cloak and clothes, as Gaara walked past him.

"Hey I was just thinking." Naruto said, as he caught up with the red haired boy, "Your biggest weakness is water right?"

Gaara didn't give him a reply, since the answer was obvious. Naruto realised that a moment later, and so went on right ahead.

"You wanna get some training without your sand?" he asked.

Gaara glanced at him, turning his head just a little.

"Without the sand…" he repeated, looking ahead again, "Very well."

Naruto grinned, glad that Gaara seemed to like the idea, even if that was mostly assumption.

They passed through the woods in relative silence after that. It didn't take them long to get back to the path, and they continued on their way towards the border that would take them over to the next country. The trees thinned out, and the midday sky shone clearly above them. The clouds were thinning out, a little fact Naruto was glad of. He had discovered that it was very easy to feel gloomy, when the sky was always grey.

All the while they walked, Gaara kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead. He maintained his inexpressive manner throughout, but there seemed to be something else. Naruto couldn't explain it, but there was something… _off_ about him. It seemed like there was a lot on his mind, though there was no evidence to back that up, nor any clue as to what he was thinking. There was just a strange look in his eyes, as if he wasn't paying the world the slightest bit of attention. Gaara realised that Naruto was watching him, and nodded ahead.

"How much further until we reach the border?" he asked, fixing his eyes on the path ahead.

"Huh? Uh…" Naruto muttered, as he grabbed his satchel and dug into it, pulling out a map. After a brief consultation, involving several glances from the map to the road, he put it away, "I'm guessing about half a mile. You think I should take my headband off, just in case?"

"No, keep it on." Gaara said, his tone suggesting his words to be an order, and not a reply. He adjusted the forehead protector on his strap so that it was clearly visible on his chest, and then continued on silently. Naruto watched him curiously, as pieces started to fall together. He sighed.

"_Looks like he hasn't changed at all."_ he thought, before his mind cast back to the last thing Pein had told him.

"_I find it strange that you would say such a thing." _he had said, _"Could it be that you've given up on your goal?"_

"Hey, Gaara-san-" Naruto began.

"Don't bother with the formalities." Gaara interrupted, "It's a waste of time."

"Uh, right." Naruto said, before getting back on track, "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about Sunagakure. What was it like there?"

Gaara looked at Naruto, his focus returning as he regarded the boy blankly.

"Why do you ask?" was his question, one that had him maintaining eye contact constantly.

"I'm just wondering is all." Naruto replied, with a shrug, "The whole reason I came to Ame in the first place, the thing I've been training for, is so I could bring all the Jinchuriki together."

Gaara waited for Naruto to say more, but when it became evident that the boy was done, he looked ahead once more.

"Do you think that because you and I both have demons sealed within our bodies, that makes us the same?" he asked, before bowing his head, "You're an idiot."

"What?!" Naruto partially exclaimed, looking at Gaara in shock. The red haired boy crossed his arms, his eyelids lowering to the point where they looked almost closed.

"You seek to bring together the people with demons within them, based on the belief that they will be similar to you." he explained, softening his words in no way, "Aside from how presumptuous that is, it's foolish to think that such a thing would change anything. Even if you are surrounded by people who have similar pasts, they will not be like you. You will still be alone."

"Life and soul of the party as always."

Naruto reached behind him and touched Eko's sheath, signalling for the blade to be silent. He didn't take his eyes off Gaara for a second, his brow creasing as he listened.

"What do you mean?" he asked, "That doesn't make sense."

Gaara raised his eyes to the sky, looking distant once more.

"There is an old saying, spoken at the schools of Suna." he said, his tone suggesting nothing Naruto could understand, "The wind blows. Then endless sand stirs. And settles. Never the same again. It means that once something changes, it is impossible to return to the way things were. A Shinobi must be prepared for every possible outcome, and be ready to stand on their own if the time comes. But that is just what the heads of the village decide to understand from it. I have different views."

"Like what?" Naruto asked, his curiosity growing with each passing moment.

"The general consensus is that the wind symbolises change, while the endless sand represents the world around us, which is how they reach _that_ outcome." Gaara continued, "However, if you see the sand not as land, but as a person, then the change that the wind brings changes who we are as a person. Then the rest means that we can never return to the person we were. This rule is the same for everyone. No two dunes are the same, just as no two people are truly alike. As the individual changes, the others around him do too. As time passes, those changes become greater, until that person is unlike anyone else. It is then, that he is forever alone."

He took a pause for thought, opening his eyes as he watched the road again. Naruto continued to stare at him, at a loss for a response. Even Eko seemed silenced, either in deep thought or simply stunned. In any case, things became uncomfortably silent, but no one decided to break it.

* * * * *

Neji and Tenten made their way back down the hill quietly. Neji's arm was now untied, and Tenten's clothes and skin were even more grime covered than before. Though the sun was still fairly high in the sky, Neji had decided there was nothing more to gain from continuing today. Tenten didn't protest, though for the past few minutes she hadn't said a word, she just maintained her embarrassed silence. Neji looked at her from the corner of his eyes, holding back the smirk he knew wanted to surface.

"You seem quite shaken." he noted, watching her hug her arms. She looked up at him, her pink cheeks hidden behind her hair.

"I just feel weird." she replied, giving her arms a strong rub, "What did you do?"

"I just changed the flow of your chakra." Neji explained, as if it were nothing, "By blocking certain points, and forcing others to increase their flow. I was curious about what would happen in that case. Though I must admit, I never expected a reaction like _that_."

Tenten's face suddenly flushed, and she bowed her head, praying that her hair hid all signs of her reaction. Neji of course didn't need something as basic as the tone of her skin to tell him what she was thinking however, he could no longer resist his smirk.

"I suppose I overdid it a bit." he admitted, or at least sounded like he was admitting, "I take it then that you would rather train with Lee and Gai-sensei?"

The mere suggestion of such a possibility was enough to make Tenten shiver.

"Don't even kid about that." she said, "They might hear you."

Neji let out a faint chuckle, out of everyone he knew, Tenten was perhaps the easiest to read. Although it wasn't like she _tried_ to make herself obscure or mysterious. She made her intentions known and was always direct, but at the same time she never got ahead of herself or allowed herself to be provoked. It was that quality, perhaps, that was the reason Neji preferred her from their other team mates. If there was one thing that annoyed him, it was futile effort.

"It's a pity then." he said, with a sigh, "I wish to test my theory out, but it appears I need to find someone stronger for that."

"Hey, I can handle it!" Tenten exclaimed, looking at Neji reproachfully. Well, maybe she wasn't _completely _impossible to provoke.

"Is that so?" Neji asked, with a sideward look, "You almost sound eager for me to do _that_ again."

"What?! I-" Tenten spluttered, before glaring at him, "Don't twist my words like that!"

"So I'm wrong?" Neji countered, this time looking at her with knowing scepticism, "You _don't_ want that?"

Tenten blinked in surprise, forgetting to hide her face as it grew warmer again. But after a moment she turned away embarrassedly, looking at the ground ahead of her.

"Well… I-" she mumbled nervously, "I can handle it."

Neji raised his brow in quiet surprise, before letting off a small shrug. He began to walk off to the left, in the direction of his home.

"If that's what you want." he said, waving at her as he walked away. He felt Tenten's eyes upon him, and could tell her face was flushing once more, _"How amusing…"_

He stepped off of the hill and back onto paved ground, taking one of the back ways into the Hyuga compound. He walked through the shadowy break between the houses, but came to a stop before even entering the first street.

"Should I be concerned, Neji-kun?" Orochimaru asked, as he leant against the wall behind the Hyuga, crossing his arms, "That was certainly a peculiar game you were playing with that girl."

"Call it an experiment." Neji replied, as he pressed his back against that same wall, "Though as I told her, the results were quite surprising."

"Indeed." Orochimaru said, with a thin smile, "Though you certainly seemed to enjoy it yourself."

Neji let out a sigh, bowing his head and smiling.

"I doubt you believe that the act itself was the source of my entertainment." he replied, certainly. Orochimaru's smile widened, his eyes narrowing.

"You _are_ a cruel one." he said, his voice sounding almost giddy, "I almost hope that Sasuke-kun proves to be stronger than you. It would be a shame not having you around."

"I'm sure you would tire of me eventually." was Neji's reply, "After all, since all I am is because of you, where is the mystery?"

"Ah Neji-kun, you may have a point there." the ex-Konoha nin admitted, "Our little talks _do_ tend to run in circles. It makes me a little sad."

"A shame." Neji said, letting out a deep breath, "Well, at least there's Sasuke-kun."

"Of course. How are things going there?"

"He knows who I am."

"Oh? So you told him after all."

"You're surprised?"

"I suppose not, fufufu…"


	47. Growing thirst

Whoo! Managed to get an extra long chapter AND release it early! Once again, whoo! This was expected to be mostly filler, but once again I've proven my knack for doing otherwise. Heh, guess it's hard to write something pointless. Ah well, this at least gives me more options for the future. Enjoy, and please review!

Disclaimer: Incidentally, to all anonymous reviewers. I'm very easily confused, so if you ask me questions, I will spend about ten minutes trying to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to reply.

* * *

**Growing thirst**

Naruto stepped out of the hotel he'd spent the night in, yawning and stretching his arms to the sky. It was a bright, sunny day, warm and calm just like any day should be. He looked up and down the street, this town was fairly peaceful. Though looking around it, he wondered if it could really be called a town, since it was only about half the size of Amegakure.

As expected, when he woke up, Gaara was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't really bothered by it. He had a feeling he would show up eventually, when it was time to leave.

"So what now?"

"Guess we'll see what we need and stock up." Naruto replied, resting his hands behind his head.

He took a right and walked at a leisurely pace through the empty street, wondering where he could get the supplies they would need. They were only three days into their journey, having spent one of them out in the open. But Naruto and Gaara's appetites required constant replenishment of stock, even rationing out what they kept was only a momentary solution.

"_We're gonna need explosive tags for a fire."_ he thought, as he walked through a street filled with shops, _"Kisame-sensei showed me how to make weak ones, so if I can just get the right stuff…"_

He turned to one of the stores; it seemed to be a crafts shop. Paper lanterns, boxed model boats, even what appeared to be a "make your own forehead protector" kit. Naruto didn't spend the time wondering if people were really allowed to make those, for he saw exactly what he needed; paper and ink sets. He peered into the window, checking out the prices curiously.

"Um, excuse me." he heard someone say, surprisingly close to him. He looked up to his right, there was a woman looking down at him with an embarrassed, yet worried look. She had raven hair, feathered and cut rather short. She looked at Naruto with round, dark eyes and thin arching eyebrows, both were showing signs of nervousness and uncertainty. She wore a dark grey kimono with pale beige lining and a lilac sash tying it together. Overall, Naruto was a little stunned, she was quite attractive.

"Yeah?" he asked, once he found himself again. The woman looked around hesitantly, before returning her gaze to him.

"You haven't by any chance seen a woman with long blond hair and a green robe?" she asked, with a both hopeful, yet doubting expression.

"A blond woman?" Naruto repeated, straightening up. His face scrunched up as he thought about it, his eyes squinting as he glanced over his shoulder, "Sorry, I don't remember anyone like that."

"I see…" the woman said, bowing her head in despair, "Thanks anyway."

She made to step around him, but then came to a sudden pause. Naruto raised his brow in surprise, wondering if there was something more she wanted from him. It wasn't until a moment later that he realised her eyes were fixed on his headband, and he suddenly began to feel nervous.

"_She isn't gonna call guards, is she?" _he thought, his body tensing up. It certainly seemed like the sight was troubling her, judging from her steadily creasing brow. She then made to look back at him, when something else caught her eye. She spotted the forehead protector kit in the window. Her brow rose in surprise, she looked at Naruto again, letting out a smile and laugh.

"Sorry." she said, giving a small bow before stepping around him and walking away.

Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding in, glad to have avoided a situation. He knew it had been a bad idea to keep his forehead protector on, but Gaara had insisted he do otherwise.

"_Well screw that."_ he thought, as he reached up and untied his headband, _"I'm not getting in trouble with the guards because of this."_

He took the headband in his hand and stuffed it into his satchel. He then slung the bag back over his shoulder, before frowning. What was it he was doing again?

* * * * *

Nagato sat out on the ledge again, looking out to the city with a peaceful expression. Konan had managed to procure a cloak for him, though it was fairly oversized on his stunted frame. It felt more like quilt thrown over him than a piece of clothing, he hugged his knees underneath it and let the unusual warmth set in.

Ever since Konan had first taken the measures to make him come out here, it had turned into a daily habit. He had learned that he could manage half an hour in his condition, before he needed to return to the machine. Konan was certain however that in time, he would be able to extend that limit, and even no longer rely on the machine at all. It was for that reason that she was gone, though her purpose was unclear to him.

He cast his eyes down below, he always chose to take his half hour reprieve in the morning, while the sun was still gently ascending and the world was still quiet. The only dampener to his mood was the knowledge that down below, on the lower tiers, people were still suffering as they usually did. But it wasn't that which was the cause of his concern, it was the fear he knew they were feeling, the fear he was causing. These people, who had known only pain, where suffering even more so by his actions. He knew it was necessary, but he was feeling a little impatient.

"Hey." Konan said, appearing by his side. She gently sat down beside him, handing over a black plastic container. Nagato accepted it with a curious look, feeling the warmth of the contents, "A little something to add to the experience."

"It's not like I've gone all this time _without_ food." Nagato replied, though not in an ungrateful tone. Konan smiled warmly at him.

"I'd never have guessed." she teased, catching Nagato off guard, "Besides, you can hardly call _that_ food."

Nagato smiled himself, looking down at the container and gazing at the contents through the transparent lid. He raised his hand and lifted it off, removing the plastic spoon attached to it. He raised the container to his chin, and dipped the spoon into the golden brown soup inside. Konan watched as he quietly fed himself, noticing the subtle signs most people didn't show when they were eating. She suddenly felt a slight tinge of nostalgia that made her eyes lose focus.

"Little cry baby Nagato." she said, with a very small laugh. Nagato looked up at her with arched brows. It was true that there was an odd shine to his eyes that hadn't been present in a long time. But he still seemed dazed by the reference, taking a moment to recover. When he came back to his senses, he looked back over the village, smiling again.

"It is nicer like this." he said, as the sun shone through the unclouded sky, "Without the rain, the village glimmers."

"Mmm…" Konan sighed, resting her chin on her knees, "You're right."

Nagato raised the spoon again, and continued to drink the tangy soup. The smell was a little overwhelming, but in a way it was addictive, just like the taste. It was all Nagato could do to keep himself from slurping the whole lot down, but he knew better than that. The entire reason Konan had brought him soup instead of something solid was because his body most probably couldn't handle it, and so gorging himself wouldn't do him any good however tempting it may be.

"So how does it feel?" Konan asked, resting her back against the wall, "To be out here?"

Nagato glanced at her, his spoon half raised to his mouth. After a moments thought, he placed the spoon back into the container and put it down by his side. He then returned to hugging his knees, looking to the outskirts of the village.

"I had a plan." he said, just loud enough for Konan to hear, "Everything would come in time. All that we worked towards would eventually bare fruit, and we would get a taste of peace even if only for a while. But…" Konan watched as he tightened the hold he had on himself, his eyes dropping to the cloak wrapped around him.

"I just want to get this over with as quickly as possible." he said, rubbing his eye tiredly, "I want to find out if everything we've been doing is gonna work out like I planned."

"It will." Konan soothingly replied, "You're strong, you don't make mistakes. Even if I disagree with some of the things you do, I'll still stand beside you, because I believe in you."

She watched Nagato quietly, his eyes obscured by his red hair. She couldn't see his reaction, but his silence was enough to tell her that her words had at least carried some weight with them.

Nagato looked at the red cloud on his cloak, breathing slowly and steadily. Outside of that machine, out here, his body acted in ways it wasn't used to. His heart beat quicker, and his blood pumped faster. And yet he felt breathless, as if his lungs were unable to keep up with the rest of his system. Was this really because he was out of the machine?

* * * * *

Naruto wandered through the streets some more. Now that he had completely restocked on supplies, he was left searching for Gaara, who had yet to show up. Once or twice he'd considered using the Jutsu Pein had given him to locate Gaara, but he doubted the gesture would be appreciated. He had an idea that when Gaara wanted to be alone, no one should disturb him.

Still, they had places to be, and Naruto was quickly running out of ideas. After bumping into that woman earlier, he had been very careful not to appear conspicuous, though that just seemed to make him paranoid. Perhaps that was a contributing factor to his wanting to leave.

"Man, where _is_ he?" he muttered, with an annoyed look.

"Don't look now."

"Why?" Naruto asked, as he glanced behind him. He missed Eko's annoyed sigh as he searched the street, trying to find whatever it was the blade had been referring to.

"Blond woman in a green robe, five o'clock."

Naruto raised his brow as he faintly spotted the person, but she disappeared around a corner before he could get a proper look.

"Was she with that lady from before?" he asked, as he turned to face that direction.

"Nah, looked like she was alone."

Naruto cocked his head, wondering if that meant that this was the person that woman had been looking for, and was maybe _still_ looking for. Though he wasn't sure he wanted to get involved with the person who almost got him caught, he couldn't help wanting to lend a hand, she'd seemed pretty anxious.

"Think we should check it out?" he asked, gripping his chin in his hand as he squinted.

"No."

Naruto sighed, Eko could be so civic minded at times. But he shrugged, it wasn't his problem in the end. Or at least, it wasn't important enough to involve himself in. He turned back and continued on his way, his hands slipping back into his pockets.

He made his way to the end of the street, which then split off into three different directions. He glanced around, wondering which way he should take. Where would Gaara be, in a place like this? It was a question he couldn't hope to answer, since he didn't really know Gaara that personally. And so he had to make a decision; left, right, or straight ahead?

"_Uh… I'll choose…"_ he thought, looking around, _"Above!"_

He looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then leapt up to the roof of one of the short buildings that filled the streets. He landed on the blue slates, crouching down as he gave another look around, _"Well that was pointless."_

His thought was soon proven wrong though, as he spotted something off to the distance. Just over the peak of one of the buildings a few streets away, he saw what looked like a dark beige lump sticking just into view. While it wasn't anything definite, it was so far his best lead. And so in the end he headed in that direction, hoping it would give him the outcome he desired.

He hopped over the rooftops, steadily becoming more and more certain that the form he was looking at was Gaara's. He could see now that the lump was both his gourd, and also the sedge hat he had chosen to wear for whatever reason. He eventually reached the desired rooftop, landing quietly as he looked over to the other side.

It had been the sound he heard first. The sound of children calling out to each other. It was soon followed by the sight of a park, filled with a group of said children running around with boundless energy. They climbed, swung, slid, spun, all sorts of things that they seemed to find so exhilarating. Naruto looked then at Gaara, wondering what he was doing in a place like this. He soon got an idea.

Gaara sat on the rooftop, his arms resting above his tucked in legs. He looked over the surface of his sleeves, only his eyes visible over the wide brim of the sedge hat. Naruto wasn't certain if it was the shadows, or simply the eyes themselves, but there was something about the look Gaara was giving that seemed dark, even for him.

"Hey, what're you doing up here?" Naruto asked, slipping down into a sitting position next to him.

Gaara offered no reply, his eyes fixed on the children in the park. Naruto cast his eyes down there as well, watching quietly. He saw the same thing Gaara did, but wondered if he saw it the same way. He recalled what the boy sitting next to him had told him just a couple of days ago.

"_No two dunes are the same, just as no two people are truly alike."_

Naruto let out a small smile, as something began to make sense to him. He tucked his legs in, just like Gaara had, but his arms hung loosely over his knees, were Gaara's were folded over each other.

"You weren't one of them, where you?" Naruto asked, referring to the children down there. Once more Gaara didn't answer, but Naruto was fine with that, "Me neither."

He thought for a second that he felt Gaara glance at him, but when he looked out of the corner of his eyes, it didn't seem that way. Nonetheless, he had the feeling. That was enough.

"I was just thinking about what you told me the other day." he said, "You told me that no one can understand each other, because no one is the same. But I was thinking… if you believe that everyone around you is just someone to kill, doesn't that make them the same in your eyes?"

Now he was sure that, even if Gaara hadn't looked, he had the boy's attention. He continued on, working out his point as he made it.

"So… doesn't it make more sense to say that what you think isn't that no one is alike, but that no one is the same as you?" he asked, as his eyes became more distant and his smile became more defined, "It's something like that, right?"

He waited, sure he would get an answer this time. But the seconds past, and none came. Eventually, he glanced over to his left. Gaara had disappeared.

* * * * *

Nagato breathed slowly and clearly, taking in each lungful with care, before he shakily pushed himself to his feet. Konan noticed this and immediately stood, ready to help him should he need it. He placed his hand upon the wall and stepped in through the hole, making his way towards the machine.

"That's enough for today." he said, as he stepped into the shadows. Konan followed him closely, feeling sorry that his time outside had to end so suddenly.

"How long do you think it will take before you don't have to use that anymore?" she asked, as he placed his hand upon the cold metal.

"Don't be naïve Konan." he replied, as he began his careful climb, "As long as Pein is needed, I'm bound to this."

Konan dropped her gaze as he turned around, pulling the door closed on the machine. He raised his hands in a seal, his eyes closing. After a crease of the brow, the chakra rods scattered across the floor behind him snapped up into the air, and back into place. When they were back where they should be, he released the seal an opened his eyes.

"This is how it must be." he said, "I'm sorry."

"No." Konan replied, looking up at him, "You don't owe me an apology."

Nagato watched her as she turned away, heading for the door. She walked at a slow pace, clearly lost in her thoughts. But there was one more thing he needed of her, before she disappeared completely.

"Could you take care of that?" he asked. Konan looked back at him, before nodding. She raised her hand to the hole, and resealed it with paper, "Thank you."

* * * * *

After Gaara disappeared, Naruto was at a loss for what to do. He was certain now more than ever that he shouldn't disturb him, that he would come when he was ready. But that left him with nothing to do, and he was growing quite bored. To that end, he had made his way to the outer reaches of the village, into an open plain just outside it. There he had Eko unsheathed, gripped in both hands.

A breeze passed through the field, the grass waving and whispering as Naruto stood firmly in place. He stared at the open air, envisioning an opponent standing before him. He took Eko and held him to his right, the tip pointing somewhere behind him. He watched as his invented enemy took his own katana in hand, and slowly drew it out. Both were ready, Naruto even more so.

He ran at the opponent, slashing out in an arc that raised Eko to his left. The enemy dodged back though, and countered with a stab. Naruto dropped to the ground and rolled to his right, swinging the blade for his opponent's legs. But the attack was dodged again, his adversary hopped over the blade and brought his own down on Naruto, who was forced to raise his own in defence. Naruto held Eko in place, imagining the strength of his apparently older opponent, and pushing up slowly, though not weakening his effort in any way.

Suddenly, the enemy kicked out, intending to strike Naruto in the chest. He saw the move however, and with a strong push forced the blade off of him, rolling backwards in the same movement. He rolled straight onto his feet, poised to lunge at the enemy. He took advantage of this and did just that, ducking around him and slashing as he passed. The opponent was quick however, he blocked with his blade just in time, the clash forcing Naruto to spin around. But he didn't waste a second, he used that momentum to perform a full spin, swinging Eko straight for the opponents back. The blades met in a clash, Naruto's horizontal while his opponents vertical.

Naruto lowered his blade, finishing the illusion he played on himself. He was pretty satisfied about that. At least, as satisfied as you could get from fighting an imaginary opponent. He remembered what Pein had told him, about Kisame coming back to train him some more. He couldn't help but grin at the thought, he definitely felt he improved faster under the ex Kiri-nin's guidance.

"_But I can't let him think I've been slacking off!"_ he thought, as he switched hands with Eko fervently, _"I gotta show him I've grown stronger!"_

He gripped Eko again in his right hand, and changed his stance so he stood with his left leg further forward than his right. He faced away from the town, out into the open plains. There was nothing in sight, just grass, and the horizon.

He cut through the air in a flash, channelling his Futon chakra through the blade and trusting Eko to do the rest. He wasn't disappointed, the blade acted appropriately and released the chakra in an arc, which then shot out from the tip. However, it was _that_ which he was disappointed in. The arc of wind created by the chakra was thin, but weak. It reached only about a metre past the tip of the blade, before it disappeared into nothingness. That was no good, all it served was as a slight increase to his reach. That wasn't what he needed.

He tried again, this time slashing downwards. The wind fired out of the blade once more, creating a slight groove in the earth and forcing the grass to sway in different directions. He saw by the mark in the ground his progress, it wasn't even a metre. That only served to annoy him further. He tried again, slashing harder, but the result was the same. He gave it three more tries, a continuous barrage of slashes. But the strain brought onto both his stamina and chakra was great, he tired out quickly.

"Man… I'm still not strong enough." he muttered, as his breathing became heavy, "I wanna get this mission over with and get back to training with Kisame-sensei. He'll have a better idea about what to do."

"Guess there's no point wasting effort if it's not gonna do you any good."

Though he didn't particularly like the wording, Naruto knew that Eko was right. He straightened up and slid the blade back into his sheath, before looking down at the grooves in the ground again. He grumbled to himself as he turned around and made his way back to town.

* * * * *

Naruto came to a stop, squinting as he looked down the street. He saw that woman from before wandering around, just as worried as ever. He thought about maybe changing direction and avoiding her, but since he'd already had the opportunity to help her out and passed on it, doing so again would just be cruel. So he made his decision and approached her, hoping that his lacking headband would avoid further suspicion.

"No luck?" he asked. The woman turned around in surprise, looking at him with a raised brow. It took her a moment to recognise him, and when she did she smiled embarrassedly.

"No, I still haven't found her yet." she said, with more than a touch of desperation in her voice.

"I thought I saw someone like your description earlier, but she was gone before I got a good look." he said, nodding behind him. The woman seemed to perk up a little at that, her smile seemed to have a little more of the appropriate feeling behind it.

"Oh, well at least she's still here!" she said, relieved. Naruto frowned at her.

"You thought she'd left?" he asked, "What kind of companion is she?"

"Well… you never really can tell." the woman replied, with a nervous laugh, "She moves pretty quickly. Um… so where did you see her? Knowing where she's been at least narrows it down."

"Wow, sounds like you got skills at tracking her." Naruto said, with a sceptical look, "This sort of thing happens a lot then?"

"Oh- I- well…" the woman stammered, before hanging her head, "Yeah, all the time."

"Ah… so… do you need a hand?" Naruto asked, deciding to offer her some help, "It'd be quicker if there was more than one of you."

"Oh no, I couldn't ask that!" the woman exclaimed, raising her hands quickly.

"All right then." Naruto replied, stepping around her and waving, "See ya around then."

"Wha- wait a minute!" the woman exclaimed, turning around with a shocked look. Naruto stopped and looked back at her with a curious look. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then she gave a deep bow, "Help would be appreciated."

Naruto grinned, he'd figured that would be her reaction. He turned all the way around and gave her a thumbs up.

"All right then, let's do it!" he said, cheerily, "My name's Uzumaki Naruto!"

"S-Shizune." the woman replied, taken aback by his sudden burst of energy.

"Ok Shizune-chan, you look up there and I'll cover the rest!" Naruto announced, jerking his thumb to the street on his right before forming a seal, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

With a puff of smoke, seven copies of Naruto appeared behind the original, each standing with a military salute. Shizune looked at them all, her eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Kage Bunshin?!" she repeated, snapping her attention over each one.

"Go!" the Naruto's announced, splitting off in every direction with great speed. Shizune called out after them, but they were gone before they could even hear her.

* * * * *

"_Damn it where is this lady?"_ Naruto thought, as he came to a stop. He'd been running around for a while now, and with no signals from his Kage Bunshin it appeared they were still looking too, _"Man, I shoulda asked Shizune-chan more about this woman."_

He gave another look around, but realised he'd covered just about every corner of this part of town. He sighed to himself, maybe this woman had left after all. That sounded kind of mean to him, but if that were the case then there wasn't anything he could do about it. He turned around and began to make his way back. He wasn't looking forward to admitting that he'd failed, but it couldn't be-

_Thud!_

Naruto stumbled as someone barged into him, barely managing to keep his footing.

"Watch where you're going kid!" a woman's voice scolded.

"I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE SAYING THAT!" Naruto yelled back, before blinking in surprise. The woman before him, was this the one he'd been looking for?

She had long blond hair right enough, fairer than Naruto's. Thick bangs hung down on either side of her face, framing her brown eyes and strange, violet diamond mark on her forehead. Further down Naruto notice her… obscenely large breasts, though noticing them didn't exactly take effort. She wore the green robe Shizune described on top of a khaki blouse with navy tight pants covering her lower half. She looked down at Naruto like he was a fly, scrunching her face before disregarding him completely.

"Buzz off kid." she said, turning to her left and striding off, leaving Naruto to stare bewilderedly after her. It took him a full five seconds to recover from the insane appearance of that woman, before he went after her.

"Hey, hold on a minute!" he called, reaching out to her.

"HEY!" yelled a voice from inside the building behind them.

"Damn it." the woman cursed under her breath. From the open entrance to the building barged out three men dressed in light kimonos, each of them glaring at the woman excessively.

"Get back here!" the one in the middle yelled, before the other two pulled out short knifes.

"_Oh shit!"_ Naruto thought, reacting on instinct. He reached into his weapons pouch and hastily pulled out a smoke pellet, throwing it to the ground. What he failed to notice was the explosive tag that flew out with it, which began hissing angrily.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and hauled away from the expanding cloud of purple smoke, realising that his feet had left the ground far below. The tag exploded, blowing the wooden wall of the building in and knocking the three men off their feet.

"_Uh…"_ he thought, as he figured out what must have happened, _"This is bad."_

The surprise of his mistake made him forget his current situation. It wasn't until his legs rose in the air that he realised he was descending, and he looked back.

The woman had been the one to grab him, and had jumped all this way on her own. This surprised Naruto more than even her appearance had, she was a ninja?!

They landed on the rooftop, out of the way of the chaos in the street. Naruto fell on his ass as the woman let go of him, and turned on him with an angered look.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" she demanded, her hands on her hips as she looked down at him, "Don't get involved in situations that have nothing to do with you!"

Naruto stared up at the woman, dumbstruck and at a loss for words. The woman didn't seem the kind to wait patiently though, and soon powered onto her next question.

"What're you doing with those things anyway, are you even a Shinobi?" she asked, her mood worsening with every passing second.

"Of course I am!" Naruto exclaimed, pushing himself up, "And you should be thanking me, I was helping you out!"

"Tch, the day I need the help of a brat like you…" she said, leaving her statement hanging, "Whatever, just don't pull stupid stunts like that again."

With that she turned away, and began to walk towards the gap between the buildings. Naruto stared after her, taking a moment to recover once more.

"Hey hold on a second!" he yelled, making the woman come to a stop, "I've been looking all over for you!"

The woman sighed irritably, glancing back at him with an annoyed look.

"What's the deal, Shizune hire you to come after me?" she asked, with an expression revealing that she had expected it. She turned back away, shrugging, "Tell her I'll see her later, I'm busy."

Naruto blinked in surprise at the blasé manner this woman was acting in. But the surprise was short lived, soon replaced with anger.

"HEY!" he yelled, his tone making the woman look back in surprise, "You know she's been looking for you all day long?! Is that any way to treat your companion?!"

"What do you know kid?" the woman asked, with an annoyed look.

"I know that you should look after the people closest to you, especially if they're willing to put up with your crap!" Naruto heatedly replied, "Don't you think you're being cold, leaving her to worry about you all the time?!"

The woman stared at Naruto with an arched brow, staggered by the strength in his tone. She slowly turned her head back to the front, her hand slipping back onto her hips.

"What an annoying brat." she muttered, before sighing, "Fine, I guess I'll go catch up with her."

She dropped down into the alleyway, leaving Naruto without another word. He was left staring at the spot she'd been, silenced and stunned.

* * * * *

The sun hung low in the sky now, it was coming to noon. Naruto had long since recovered from the earlier surprise, and had now returned to his search for Gaara, wherever he may be.

He was lucky this time, it didn't take him long to find the red haired boy. But the location of all places was certainly strange. He'd walked out of a street to spot Gaara standing against a tall wooden door, his arms folded and a scowl clear on his face. Naruto headed towards him, wondering what on earth could have put him in such a fowl mood.

As he drew nearer, he heard the sound of men's grunts and groans coming from the open door next to Gaara, mixed with the sound of wood striking wood. He reached his companion and peered inside, his brow rising at what he saw. It was a dojo, filled with men in heavily padded white suits and head guards, clashing wooden swords against each other as they sparred.

"Huh, kendo?" Naruto thought aloud, before looking at Gaara. Was this the source of his mood, the men fighting inside?

He looked closer, careful not to invade what could be his personal space. There wasn't just anger in his expression, there also seemed to be dissatisfaction in there. A quick look back into the dojo and Naruto realised the situation. Those men were quite well protected after all. It didn't look like there would be any serious injury caused by those flimsy wooden sticks either.

"Y'know, if you want to see a messy fight you'd probably be better off hanging around bars." he said, straightening up, "You ready to go?"

"…Fine." Gaara replied, straightening up and walking past Naruto, who followed him.

"Looks like we'll be camping out later." he said, as he glanced in the sun's direction, "Lets see if we can't get a few miles in before it gets too dark."

Gaara didn't reply, but Naruto didn't need one. They just walked on, towards the gates of the village.

* * * * *

Shizune sat down next to her companion, holding a jug of sake in her hands. She looked over to the woman next to her, who seemed to be incredibly bored.

"Would you like something to drink, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked, in an attempt to cheer her lady up.

"Sure." Tsunade replied half heartedly, pushing her cup towards her attendant, "So who was that kid you sent after me?"

"Of, that was some boy I met earlier." Shizune explained, as she gently filled the cup, "He _was_ pretty strange, but very nice. I found him outside a craft shop, wearing a fake headband. Though… now I think about it…"

Tsunade glanced at her pupil curiously, wondering what she meant by "fake" headband.

"He was wearing an Amegakure forehead protector, but it was slashed." Shizune continued, as she thought back, "But he couldn't have been a ninja from the Rain."

"Why not?"

"Well, that's what bugs me." Shizune replied, resting her arms on the table, "You see, I don't know how, but he knows the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"What?!" Tsunade asked, with a look of disbelief. She accepted the cup from Shizune and held it in the air, her elbow propped on the table, "That kid? He was an idiot, how could he possibly use _that_ Jutsu?"

"I thought that was strange too." Shizune agreed, with a nod, "How could he know the Kage Bunshin, come from Ame _and_ be a missing nin? It just didn't make sense to me."

Tsunade shook her head, raising the cup to her lips.

"What a strange boy." Shizune sighed, "Uzumaki Naruto."

_Crack._

Shizune looked at Tsunade in surprise, watching as the shards of her cup landed on the table and the warm sake ran down her arm. Tsunade's eyes were fixed upon her, eyes wide and pupils shrunken.

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked worriedly.

"That name…" Tsunade breathed, "_What_ did you say?"


	48. A cold reminder

And once more we have a completely out of the blue plot idea. I don't know where these come from, but damned if I'm gonna complain. Ah well, same drill as always, enjoy.

Disclaimer: If Karin survives this, I'm gonna be bugged. Big time.

* * *

**A cold reminder**

Naruto tore off a chunk of bread from the loaf he bought yesterday, sipping it into his lukewarm soup and biting into it. He sat down with his back against a rock, in the cool shade. Gaara sat cross legged atop the boulder, seemingly preferring the heat of the sun on the rock. He too held a bowl of soup in his hands, and his own loaf to eat with it. They both went through their lunch silently, the quiet plane around them creating no other noise.

Naruto glanced off to the right, he could see trees off to the distance, it looked like the expanse of grass would soon be coming to an end. He was glad, without the cover of trees, sleeping in the open was even chillier than usual. It had been the first time he'd ever felt glad of Gaara's insomnia, guilty though he may have felt afterwards. The desert boy had spent the night keeping the fire going, a task easier said than done considering the lack of wood.

"We should be at the border to the next country soon." Naruto said, after swallowing hard, "So far so good right?"

Gaara didn't offer reply, though that could have been for a number of reasons at the moment. Naruto grinned to himself as he tipped his soup back, swallowing it down in several gulps. When he'd completely finished, and scraped the bowl with a little more bread, he took a water bottle out of his satchel and lightly squirted the contents into the bowl. It was a little wasteful, but necessary since there weren't any streams or anything in the vicinity. Besides, unless he was mistaken the place they were going had no shortage of water. He wrapped his bowl back in a cloth before putting it back into his satchel, and then got to his feet.

He walked around the boulder towards the direction they'd be taking, shielding his eyes from the sun as he peered off to the distance. A light thump and quick glance revealed that Gaara had dropped down next to him, though his attention was still on the soup. Naruto couldn't help but smile at that, it looked like desert dwellers knew more about eating sparingly than he did at least. If it wasn't for the fact that it had been Gaara's suggestion to ration the food carefully, Naruto would almost think he'd taken extra helpings.

"Guess we better get a move on then." he said, as he began walking. Gaara did the same, maintaining the tone of silence he'd held since yesterday.

They passed over the grass as they made their way to the steadily growing forest, neither looking in the other's direction nor speaking. There was no wind today, not even a breeze to stir the grass. That just left the atmosphere feeling warmer, Naruto pulled his sedge hat up to provide himself with some shade. Of course, Gaara had no problem with it, though that came as a surprise to Naruto. He would have thought all that time spent in the damp darkness of Amegakure would have been enough to reacclimatise anyone. But in fact, Gaara actually seemed _more_ comfortable here. He didn't show it of course, his eyes had remained unfocused from the moment he and Naruto met up yesterday. That often left the blond boy wondering what was going through his companion's mind, since there were no visual clues to speak of.

It didn't take them too long to reach the woods, though by the time they made it there Gaara had finished eating and put his bowl away. The trees were thin in both shape and number, you could easily see about seventy yards away in almost every direction. The branches didn't even hide that much of the sun, it still shone through clearly.

There were a few signs of life, birds chirping mostly. There was the odd rustle of the branches, too small to be anything but an animal. Naruto quite liked it, but his company certainly dampened the mood. He glanced over at Gaara, who had the same look as before. He sighed, this mission was proving to be a barrel of laughs.

"There's someone up ahead." Gaara said, speaking for the first time that day. Naruto glanced at him with an astonished look, before casting his eyes to the road off to the distance. He saw nothing at all, which made him wonder just what it was Gaara had noticed.

"Is it an enemy?" he asked, deciding to check.

"I don't know." was Gaara's simple reply. Though that was what he said, Naruto noticed his eyes narrowing. That was enough to put him on alert, his fingers tensing as he prepared to draw Eko if the need arose.

They were walking for about a minute before whatever Gaara noticed came into sight. But from what Naruto saw, it was hardly worth the reaction Gaara had given. However, it was enough to draw his attention.

There was a girl, kneeling on the ground. She leant against a tree, her eyes closed and her breathing steady. She looked older than Naruto and Gaara, maybe about three or four years. She had long, soft black hair which fell straight down to her waist, strands of which hung over her lightly tanned skin. She had a slender looking frame, at least that's what could be judged by looking at her face. She wore a light brown happi with a bulging grey messenger bag which was slung over her shoulder sat just at her hip. Beneath that she had on baggy beige zubon, and straw sandals on her feet. On her back there was a large katana, much too big for someone of her size to wield, strapped next to an equally oversized bow.

Naruto came to a stop in front of her, which then caused Gaara to stop as well. They both looked down at her, Naruto looking at the girl while Gaara looking at the weapons. They both made their own observations on those points, and looked at each other.

"She looks half starved." Naruto said, feeling a little guilty of his own full stomach.

"It's none of our concern, let her master deal with that." Gaara replied. That took Naruto by surprise, he looked around for any sign of what could have given Gaara that idea.

"Her master?" he repeated, when he came to the conclusion there was no one else, "What are you talking about?"

"The size of her weapons aside, and the state of her dress, she wields a bow, but no quiver." Gaara explained, crossing his arms and looking down at her, "Obviously she is merely holding onto those for whoever it is she is following."

Naruto gave her a second look. Gaara was right, he couldn't see any arrows anywhere. And it was true that jacket of hers was usually worn by servants, he'd seen a few examples of it running around the Hyuga compound of Konoha. He never got far, but he did spot clothing like that, he'd seen it nowhere else. But as for her lower half, those looked like part of a martial artist's uniform. Had her outfit just been thrown together, or was she someone's apprentice? The latter certainly seemed believable, and with weapons like those, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to meet her master. But that didn't change the fact that she looked like she was sleeping out of fatigue, and not just plain tiredness.

The more he watched her, the more Naruto felt like he ought to do something. If it really was true that she had a master, yet was still in that condition, then she mustn't have been in the best situation. Naruto looked up to the path ahead, before glancing at Gaara.

"I saw an inn on the map when I checked." he said, "It's about two days from here. I've got more than enough, I'm gonna give her some of mine."

"Like I care." Gaara coldly replied, as he turned and continued on his way.

Naruto watched him for a second, before turning back to the girl. He took a step forward to wake her, but the crunch his foot made on the grass seemed to do the job for him. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him with a disorientated expression.

"Kirai-sama?" she whispered, her eyes coming in and out of focus. Naruto came to a stop, wondering who she was referring to.

"Sorry, I'm someone else." he said. Her vision slowly returned, and her eyes widened as she realised the truth. She straightened up, looking at Naruto curiously.

"Who are you?" she asked, looking him in the eye. Naruto noticed she had a soft voice, though wondered if maybe that was due to her seemingly empty stomach.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto." he said, trying at a warm smile.

"Katami Rei." the girl replied, with a blank look, "Um, excuse me but, is there something you need?"

"Sorry, it's just you looked like you could use something to eat." Naruto said, as he pulled his bag around and opened it, "I've some bread and soup, if you don't mind it cold."

"You shouldn't-" Rei began, raising her hand to stop him.

"It's alright." Naruto replied, smiling again, "I've got enough."

"No, I mean-" Rei tried again. But she stopped quickly, as Naruto felt a blade pressed against his throat.

"Put it away." growled the harsh voice of a man.

Naruto slowly turned his eyes to the left, but he couldn't see the owner of the blade from where he was. Already he felt sweat forming on his brow, he hadn't detected even the faintest sign that there had been anyone sneaking up on him, and Gaara hadn't seemed to have reacted either. A quick look to his right confirmed this, Gaara was looking over his shoulder at them, focusing on the person behind Naruto.

"Wait Kirai-sama!" Rei cried, her expression pleading, "Please don't!"

"Alright… I'm putting it away." Naruto said, as calmly as he could. He let go of the bread he'd been holding onto and slowly drew his hand out of the bag. When it was clear he held nothing, the blade was retracted, and he heard the sound of it being sheathed. Naruto remained still though, as the person stepped around him.

"Here." the man who must have been Kirai said, as he handed what looked like grilled fish pierced with a stick to Rei, "Hurry up and eat."

Naruto watched Kirai closely, still frozen from shock. He was a much older man, maybe in his late twenties. The lower half of his face was covered in a black mask, but the upper half was completely visible. Like Rei, he had tanned skin and black hair, though his was short and spiky. He had a long scar which ran across his forehead and through his right eyebrow, leaving a bald line in the middle of the otherwise thick brow. He had sharp features, his pupils were small black lines which gave out a harsh stare.

He wore the uniform of a Shinobi which, judging by the forehead protector plate attached to the left side of his chest was Iwagakure's. He wore a grey flak jacket which had almost defining qualities, other than the small pouch strapped onto his stomach. Beneath the jacket was a long sleeved skin tight shirt which the mask seemed to be attached to. Baggy trousers of a dark grey covered his lower half, with weapons holsters strapped to both legs. He wore guards on his arms, shins, and also had metal plates on his black sandals. Each of these was a dark grey, and made of a matte material to minimise reflection. And on either hip, just above the weapons holsters, he had two wakizashi strapped on, their dark handles and sheaths making them blend in well with his clothing. He definitely looked like a man who'd blend well in the shadows, and from the look in his eyes, he most certainly had.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice just as harsh as before, "If you have no business here, leave."

"Uh- right." Naruto said, stepping back. He looked down at Rei, who had bowed her head whilst eating her fish. Kirai looked down at her, nudging her with his foot.

"Come on, we're leaving." he said, stepping around her. As he walked down the road, Gaara never once took his eyes off him, even turning his head as the taller man passed by.

Naruto watched Rei as she raised herself to her feet and hurriedly followed after Kirai. She gave Naruto a quick look as she passed, but Naruto couldn't really read it with her fish covered mouth. She darted past Gaara until she caught up with her master, where she slowed down to walk behind him. Naruto watched her for a while, before looking at Gaara. He still had his eyes on Kirai, almost transfixed.

"Hey, you just gonna stand there?"

Naruto blinked, as he remembered what they were supposed to be doing. He shrugged his bag onto his back and resumed walking, glancing at Gaara as he passed.

"Lets go." he said, bringing the distant boy's attention back to the present. Gaara didn't say anything, but began walking alongside Naruto.

Up ahead, Kirai and Rei remained in view, walking at a steady pace in the same direction. Rei eventually finished her meal and discarded the stick. Once it was gone she took to supporting her bag with her arm, it was clear to Naruto that it was quite heavy. She glanced back at them every now and then, Kirai also looked at them once.

Naruto watched them both, trying to work out what their relationship was. As often as Rei looked at Naruto and Gaara, she also looked at Kirai, her expression a peculiar mix of worry and sadness. It was impossible for Naruto to work out what was going on just from a glance, every attempt just left him more and more confused.

"Hey, what do you think's going on with those two?" he asked, looking to his right. Gaara glanced at him for a moment, before returning his gaze ahead.

"Why would I know something like that?" he asked, in an almost annoyed manner, "Don't ask pointless things."

"Ok… my bad." Naruto tiredly replied. Whatever was up with Gaara, it was a serious downer.

* * * * *

The evening came in its own time, dragging along the sky with antagonising lack of speed. The people seemed to be moving at their own leisurely pace as well, as unhelpful as that seemed. They moved like glaciers, sliding along as the flow took them wherever they were going. Their voices seemed like hollow cries, echoing without end. Their movements were slowed several times over, each turn of the head and each footstep impossibly sluggish, irritatingly sluggish.

They came and went, idle spirits never ceasing to wander. Constantly, relentlessly they came, forever passing by and breaking view. Though they moved at speed almost to a standstill, there were two who didn't move at all. One sat on a bench, viewing the other with a knowing smirk, while the other stood in the shade of a shop's awning, staring back at the other person blankly.

The first was Neji, who sat forward on the bench, his arms resting on his knees. He fixed his eyes on the person in front of him, waiting with waning patience yet managing to keep it unseen. The straps on his forehead protector hung loosely on either side of his face, gently swinging back and forth in the coming breeze.

Across from him stood a boy dressed in strange clothing. His face was almost completely covered in bandages, leaving only his left eye across to his ear visible. He wore a grey forehead protector tied in the appropriate place, with a quaver marked on its gleaming plate. Around his neck was a scarf with a blue camouflage design. That sat atop a grey shirt with long sleeves, and beneath those were trousers of the same design as his scarf. On his back was a large fur mantle, a strange thing rarely seen in Konoha. He stood with his arms hanging forward, his single eye watching Neji from his position. Neither of them made any movement, and neither took their eyes from each other.

The crowd's movements were sluggish. Irritatingly sluggish.

* * * * *

The day had followed this same pattern as it passed, the sun lowering and the moon revealing itself. Kirai and Rei had remained in front of them the entire time, Naruto and Gaara keeping their distance but maintaining it too. Eventually the older man and the girl came to a stop, leaving the road and taking place for the night. Naruto tried not to look at them as they passed, he could feel both their eyes on him. Though Gaara had watched the two for the majority of their journey, he kept his eyes on the road ahead now, not looking either.

The pair fell behind them as they made distance, and soon were just memories. But with their passing, Naruto became aware of the silence that had maintained for the entire day since. It felt rather awkward to Naruto, since they no longer had anything to focus their attention on the silence seemed only accented.

They managed to go quite a bit farther than those other two, but in the end it was late, and Naruto was tired.

"Let's stop here for the night." he said, dropping his bag by a tree. Gaara came to a stop and looked at him, as expressionless as usual.

"Fine." he replied, standing by another tree. With one hand he undid the strap on his gourd and the massive object hit the ground with a dull thud. He sat down next to it, watching while Naruto got ready to prepare a fire.

It was fortunate that this area was rather dry. It didn't take much effort on Naruto's part to break off some branches from the trees, dropping them down to the ground below. Once he was satisfied he had a sizeable enough pile, he slid down the bark of the tree and back onto the ground. There, he continued to snap the branches into more suitable sizes, and piled them off to the side. All the while Gaara watched him, he wasn't particularly skilled at surviving in the forest, and so left Naruto to it.

Once he was sure he had done a good enough job with the wood, he took some and piled it together between him and Gaara. He then took an explosive tag from his pouch and rolled it into a long tube. Then, he ignited it before pushing the burning end into the twigs. With a small amount of futon chakra and a quick hand he soon had a roaring fire.

"_Heh, who needs Katon?"_ he thought, grinning to himself as he stood on the burning tag and choked the flames. He then took his back and searched through it, wondering what he felt like having. Across from him, Gaara simply reached in and grabbed the first thing his fingers wrapped around; a packet of dried meat, _"Man, this is gonna take forever…"_

Whatever he pulled out, it was small enough to fit in his fist without being seen. He placed the bag back down beside him and sat down in front of the flames with his legs crossed. He reached out with his hand, holding it above the fire, and opened up, dropping three large pebbles into the waiting flames. Gaara watched him through the orange waves, a slight frown on his face.

"What are you doing?" he asked, tearing a chunk off his meat. Naruto looked up at him in surprise, before grinning again.

"Oh, I guess someone who was raised in the desert wouldn't do this sort of thing." he said with a knowing look, "Wait 'til you see this, it's pretty cool."

Gaara looked at him for a moment longer, before casting his eyes down to the pebbles. It was then that Naruto felt a twinge of embarrassment, especially since he seemed to have actually sparked the desert nin's interest.

"Well… I'd like to say that, but it takes a couple of hours to work." he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Gaara glanced up at him again, before averting his eyes and tearing another chunk of meat off.

Naruto waited with weakening patience, staring down at the rocks as he prayed for them to heat up faster. Gaara's momentary interest disappeared in time and he took to looking off into space once again. Eko seemed to be resting, since there was nothing for him here.

The sky steadily grew darker until only the moon, the stars and the fire offered light. It took two hours of waiting, but finally Naruto decided he could wait no more. He reached back into his bag, pulling out the bowl he'd used earlier and a full water bottle. As he did this he felt Gaara's attention return to him, since he was the only person doing anything. He opened the bottle and began emptying the contents into the bowl, until it was about half full. He put the bottle away and then grabbed a branch from the dry pile. After dipping his fingers in the water and rubbing the tip of the stick, he poked it into the fire and quickly pulled the three pebbles out. The stones fell to the ground, red and glowing. Not wasting any time, Naruto tucked his hand into his sleeved and grabbed the pebbles one at a time. After quickly checking that there was no dirt on them, he dropped each one into the bowl of water.

"Heh heh." Naruto grinned, as he reached back into his bag. From it he pulled out a tub of instant ramen, his eyes shining with hunger. He tore the lid off and grabbed the free chopsticks that came with it, before looking back into his bowl. Steam was rising from the surface of the water as the red hot pebbles slowly boiled it. Gaara watched the steam with a raised brow, suddenly understanding what Naruto had meant when he said he wouldn't do something like this. After all, who in their right mind would use water for cooking in the desert?

When small bubbles of air started breaking through the surface of the water, Naruto found himself unable to wait any longer. He took the bowl, careful not to burn his hands, and slowly tipped the water into his tub of ramen. All the while he stared with a hungry grin, like a jackal watching a rabbit enter his den. He rubbed his hands gleefully, before breaking the chopsticks apart and stirring the contents of the tub with gentle rotations.

* * * * *

The moon was high in the sky, and there was still no wind. The forest was silent, there didn't seem to be any nocturnal animals nearby. All there was was the flickering flames, which Gaara fixed his eyes upon with a harsh stare. Across from him, Naruto lay fast asleep, resting his head on his bag. A small trail of saliva slid down past his lips, he was most definitely in a deep sleep.

"S-Sakura-chan." he mumbled, his arm and leg twitching. Gaara continued to watch him, not caring to wonder who it was he was calling out to. He cast his gaze past the sleeping boy, out to the path they had walked. His eyes faded out for a moment, before a slight crease appeared on his brow, maybe confusion, maybe anger. Maybe both.

He pushed himself up to his feet, grabbing his gourd in the process. He glanced down at Naruto again, before throwing the hulking object over his shoulder and walking off back the way they came.

* * * * *

He could only catch faint pictures, fleeting images that passed by in rapid speeds. At times he was able to only see glimpses, while others gave him time to catch fuller detail.

Pink hair, that was what he saw first. Long, pink hair attached to the head of a cute girl with sparkling green eyes. Just looking at her made Naruto feel jumpy, but not in the way he was familiar with. He wasn't sure why, but felt guilty, as if he had wronged her somehow. She seemed to know it too, judging by the look in her eyes. They weren't sparkling from happiness.

Suddenly everything blasted by in a torrent of sights, almost too fast to pick up. Long white and red robes. Red hat with white veil. Old wrinkled face. Grey beard. Old man Hokage.

Dark blue shirt and pants. Green jacket. Dark hair tied back. Tanned skin. Scar across nose. Iruka.

Same clothes again. Different face. Pale blue hair. Navy headband like a bandana. Mizuki.

Everything slowed down again, resting on a figure standing in the moonlight. His dark cloak billowed in the wind, red clouds moving along with it. His head seemed to be encased by two giant green leaves, which appeared to be attempting to swallow the moon whole. Short, messy green hair rested above a face of two sides, one black and one white. This person looked at Naruto with understanding, where Naruto felt only panic. He turned away and ran off, heading back along the path he'd come.

"Hey, wake up."

Naruto's eyes hazily opened, focus returning at a slow pace. The fire had long since gone out, and were now just blackened ashes sitting in a pile on the ground. He pressed his hand onto the ground and pushed himself up to a sitting position, yawning and stretching.

"Come on, let's get a move on." he heard a harsh voice say. Suddenly all traces of tiredness were gone, his eyes snapped open in shock. He looked to his right, instantly seeing Gaara standing on the path, looking at him. But he wasn't alone, just behind him were Kirai and Rei, both of whom were also looking at him.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking between the three.

"We're coming along." Kirai replied, in a tone that challenged protest, "So get a move on."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, his hands dropping to his side, "What for?"

"It's none of your business." Kirai replied, his brow furrowing, "Neither of you have the ability to stop me, so you'll just have to get used to it."

Naruto looked at him in alarm, before looking at Gaara. What was his take on this, surely he wasn't just going to let someone accuse him of being weak?

But Gaara said nothing, and what was more, the fact that he stood next the two of them only suggested a different opinion than what Naruto was expecting.

"Come on, we'll find out on the way."

Naruto looked over the three of them once more, before pushing himself to his feet. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, just as the three began walking off. He followed them, staring at their backs with a frown. This wasn't good.

"_There's no way we can just have these two tag along."_ he thought, looking at Kirai and Rei, _"I gotta figure out how to lose them… but…"_

He fixed his eyes on Gaara's back, his frown deepening. Had something happened last night while he slept?

"_What's going on?"_


	49. Dangerous situation

Well, things are getting intense. Guess I sould let you all know, since this story looks like it's going to be my longest yet, I'm going to divide it into parts. That means that in the near future THIS story will end, though it won't be the actual end. There'll be a sequel of sorts that will get started right away, which will be part 2. Just giving you all heads up, at that time you may need to look for the next part, though that's easily sorted if you just click on my profile page when that happens. Though... don't get too excited, I will still need my two days to write the chapter. Urgh... I'm being condescending, aren't I?

Disclaimer: Now with this chapter out, I'ma see if I can't find the next manga chapter. And maybe try and get DemonKingSamael to get a move on with the next chapter of his own fic, the slacker.

* * *

**Dangerous situation**

Neji stood in the wide open arena, with trees and patches of grass giving some environment to the otherwise empty vastness. High above there were crowds of people watching, their eyes fixed on the scene below, yet their brows furrowed.

A cool breeze lifted over the walls and cast around Neji, as a slow smirk spread across his lips. There were two other people in the arena, but his attention was focused on neither. He listened to the silent crowd, reading their thoughts with ease.

"_They are disgruntled it seems."_ he thought, as a nearby voice droned on about rules, _"Is it that there are only Konoha Genin here?"_

"With that said, let's begin the first match." said the proctor, a Chunin with a bandana style forehead protector, messy straw hair and a senbon gripped between his teeth. It was these words that drew Neji's attention to the present situation, and caused his smirk to widen further.

"_This would be a good opportunity to show off…"_ he thought, as he faced his opponent, _"But perhaps it would be better to keep _that _under my hat, so to speak."_

In front of him, his opponent prepared himself, a broad grin appearing on his face. Neji watched Inuzuka Kiba with mock interest, taking the opportunity to analyse him. There were a multitude of possibilities with someone wearing such a heavy grey jacket, but the fur lined hood would be a disadvantage for him. His weapons holster was in clear sight, strapped to the leg of his grey trousers. But from what he saw at the prelims, the basis of his Jutsu was that thing poking its head out of his collar.

"Let's go Akamaru!" Kiba yelled, as the small white dog leapt down to the ground. The red fang shaped markings on the boy's cheeks were stretched to either side with barely contained excitement, which the little dog seemed to emulate, "Let's kick his ass!"

Neji toyed with the idea of telling the enthusiastic dog lover to forfeit, just to see his reaction. But after a brief moment's thought, he decided it would be more entertaining to take it slowly. He prepared himself, taking on the needed stance for using the Juken.

"Come at me then." he challenged, as the proctor stepped out of the way.

Kiba faced Neji, his hands hovering over his weapons holster as he planned his first move. Neji watched the Inuzuka's eyes closely, seeing his entire strategy as it was being formed.

Kiba's hand flickered, and a kunai flew through the air straight for Neji's face. The Hyuga almost sighed, he could see from his peripheral vision the Inuzuka and the dog flanking him on both sides, it was pathetic.

He spun on the spot, watching the kunai with his own eyes as it drew nearer. Just in time, he grabbed it, putting his forefinger through the hole in the end. He then whipped around and slung it out, firing it at an even greater speed straight for where the Inuzuka was running.

Kiba saw the kunai and leant back just in time, planting his hand on the ground to keep himself from falling. But he then used the momentum to his advantage, flipping himself over so that he faced Neji on all fours, before dashing straight at the pale eyed boy.

His hands flickered again, and four kunai flashed through the air, hurtling for Neji's midsection. Once again the Hyuga was disappointed as he bent over backwards, the tiny stars flying over him uselessly.

"_And… now." _he thought dully, dodging to his left just as Kiba appeared above him, his descending heel threatening to break through his ribs. But as it was, the attack struck the empty air, and then the bare ground. In an instant Neji was back on his feet, and just as Kiba regained his balance, he ducked in. With a fierce jab, he struck the Inuzuka's shoulder and forced him to turn his back to Neji. Then with a quick lash, Neji darted his ready palm to the base of the Inuzuka's spine, _"And… now."_

With a quick flick of his wrist he changed his attack from an open palm to pointed fingers, which instead of striking the boy, struck the dog which leapt to bite his hand.

"AKAMARU!" Kiba yelled, watching in shock as his dog flew over his head and landed before him. He whipped around, lashing out with his fist, "BASTARD!"

But Neji was already at a distance, his stance resumed. Kiba's fist struck the empty air, while the Hyuga watched in amusement.

"How long would you like to continue like this?" he asked, in a casual tone, "Although having said that, the person I wish to fight has yet to arrive. So please, feel free to take your time."

Kiba growled under his breath, but Neji could see the cogs turning. It only served to entertain him more, pathetic fools like this were so easy to read.

"If I can finish this match before Uchiha Sasuke shows up, he will be disqualified and I won't have to fight him." Neji said, in a complacent tone, "Those are your thoughts, correct?"

And there it was, that look that Neji loved. The look of someone who knew he was facing against an opponent who was reading their thoughts. It was that moment of panic that really caused a fire in Neji's gut, and made him want to see that look develop.

"I'm afraid then, that I will have to go on the offensive." he said, before disappearing into thin air.

* * * * *

It was a forest like no other, a land of giants inhabited by the small. Gargantuan trees shot up to the heavens, their leaves becoming the sky. Their moss covered bark made them all look an unhealthy shade of green, and their wild roots seemed so unkempt. The titanic plant life of this place was truly monstrous, they snared both the air and earth in their clutching grasp. All around there was a guttural roar, the thunderous sound of water plummeting from above and crashing into rivers, like a stampede tearing through the wilderness. The sounds echoed all around, allowing none to overtake them. It was true, in this forest there was no dominant species; in the end, it was the forest that was dominant.

Naruto climbed over one of the many overgrown roots, his hands gripping the straps of his bag as he ascended and descended for the who knew how many times. He kept his eyes upon the group ahead, maintaining the position he had held for the past four days. He had thought it over countless times, but was as of yet unable to figure out Kirai's agenda, or even Gaara's. He realised now that whatever the case, Kirai had discovered something vital about them, and most likely it was Gaara who passed on that information. He was left wondering why, since he himself could think of no possibility.

"You got any ideas yet?"

"Nah." Naruto replied, his brow creased in a frown, "They're coming with us… do you think Gaara told them about the contract?"

"I guess that could be something of interest to _them_, but what would Gaara get out of that?"

Naruto nodded, seeing Eko's point. But since this was Gaara, the situation was a little more complicated. Whatever his reasons, if Naruto were to directly try and get rid of Kirai, it looked like Gaara would oppose him. That wasn't a situation he could let happen. He needed to act carefully.

"Hey… I just had a thought." he muttered as quietly as possible.

"Surprise me."

"If this situation ends up that I have to choose between Gaara and the scroll, what do you think would be better?" he asked. He already knew the answer, but with so much confusion he wanted to check.

"Well the whole point in this thing is so that all the Jinchuriki come together. I think losing Gaara would kinda defeat the point of that."

Naruto nodded, a small grin flickering across his lips. That was what he thought as well. In that case, there might be a way to get through this.

"All right." he said, "I think I got it."

He opened his mouth to explain his plan, but soon snapped it shut again. Up ahead, Rei was looking back at him, and slowing down considerably. Kirai glanced back at her, but didn't say anything. Naruto was left looking at her, wondering what it was she wanted.

"Aren't you lonely back here?" she asked, when Naruto reached her. He noticed that she increased her speed again to keep up with him, "You seemed a lot friendlier before."

"Oh, sorry about that." Naruto replied, with a grin, "I guess that guy makes me a little nervous."

"Kirai-sama?" Rei said, with a small smile, "I guess I can see why you think that."

Naruto looked at her from the corner of his eye, noticing the same look he'd seen her with when she looked at Kirai. He was curious, but thought it better not to ask just yet. He didn't want to come off as a prying person. Instead he decided on something more casual.

"So have you two been together long?" he asked, raising his hands behind his head. Rei looked at him in surprise, taking a moment to catch his meaning.

"Oh, we've only been travelling for a few weeks." she replied, her soft voice growing softer. Naruto looked at her, her ice blue eyes had suddenly gone distant. His expression suddenly became tired. Insensitive though it may be, he was getting a little sick of that expression.

"So how come you're carrying his stuff?" he asked, breaking her thoughts, "He looks strong enough to carry them on his own."

"Well, since I don't fight I need to be useful somehow, right?" she explained, shifting her shoulder and lifting her bag under her arm, "These would just weigh Kirai-sama down, so I carry them around for him."

Naruto's eyes narrowed to a squint as he looked at her. There was something he was missing, that much he was sure of. It made him curious, but also cautious.

"So, is he on a mission or something?" he asked, earning a shocked look from Rei.

"Well, yes, he- GAH!!!" she suddenly cried, as her foot caught in a smaller root and she tripped.

"Whoa!" Naruto called out, throwing out his arm to keep her steady. After a moment she regained her balance, and looked at him sheepishly.

"Thank you." she said, embarrassedly.

"No problem." Naruto replied, before he got a strange feeling. Looking up, he caught Kirai watching the two of them, his eyes narrowing, "What's up with him?"

Rei looked at Kirai too, but it was just as he turned his head away again. She dropped her gaze, her cheeks reddening.

"He just… he doesn't allow me to get injured." she explained. Naruto's gaze returned to her, giving a clear frown.

"What do you mean "allow"?" he asked, feeling a little concerned of her tone. She looked at him in surprise, before quickly changing her expression.

"This place is kind of scary, isn't it?" she asked, with an obviously forced smile, "But it's kind of nice too."

Naruto kept his eyes on her, his frown deepening further. One more piece had fallen into the puzzle, put the picture was getting more and more abstract with every coming detail. He still had no idea what he would see at the end, or if he would even be able to make sense of it then.

* * * * *

A large cloud of dust broke out in the arena, dirt and earth flying in every direction. The crowd were in awe, watching the spectacle with wide eyes. No one dared make a sound, just the birds flying overhead. They kept their focus on the ground below, the terrain of which had changed very much. Craters, holes, shattered trees, the entire place looked like a no man's land, it was completely shredded to pieces. Even the walls of the arena bore heavy cracks, which made quite a few people nervous. Needless to say, none of the civilians here would be in any rush to confront a Shinobi after this.

"How very impressive." Neji said, as the dust cloud began to settle, "You've used your time well."

A quick breeze blew by, and a portion of the cloud was dispersed. It revealed a boy to be standing inside it, with very messy looking raven hair. His pale skin and black clothes were covered in dirt and scrapes, he slouched slightly whilst panting heavily.

"I'm not gonna lose to the likes of you!" Uchiha Sasuke exclaimed, as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Be that as it may…" Neji muttered, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"I will not lose to you either!" yelled Rock Lee, as he was revealed as well. A black, shining bowl cut, incredibly thick brows, round eyes and a defiant expression. He stood straight, one arm behind his back and the other held before him in a challenging gesture. His green jumpsuit was, like Sasuke, covered in dirt, and his skin was quite filthy too. The bandages wrapped around his arms were coming loose, and there were tears in his orange leg warmers. The Konoha forehead protector tied around his waste had lost its shine, he had clearly sustained injury as well.

"That idiot, he's wasting his stamina trying to look like he hasn't taken any damage!" Tenten sighed, her chin resting on her palm, "This match is taking forever."

Neji looked down to his left, gazing at his team mate as she leant on the railing of the viewing area.

"No, this has been the speed of the matches so far." he replied, not bothering with a tone, "It just seems long because you were unconscious for your match, which was too short."

"Hey, no one told me how smart that guy was." Tenten huffed, leering at a boy who sat against the wall to her left, fast asleep. His black hair was tied back in a high ponytail, which split off in several directions. The permanent look of exhaustion on his face coupled with the even more noticeable dirt on his white jacket made him look like he was the one who had lost. But that hadn't been the case, "Man, what a lazy bum."

"So it would seem that during this month the only thing you did was train?" Neji asked, with a cocked brow, "Really, didn't you analyse _anything_ from the preliminaries?"

Tenten bowed her head into her arms, hiding her shame. Though Neji was being hard on her, it was clear she wasn't exactly letting her match go either. She had barely managed to get through the preliminaries, and so she had trained every day to catch up with the others. But in the end she still lost, and to a guy like Nara Shikamaru no less. She had known to keep her distance, and not to use weapons with chains or anything like that. But what she hadn't predicted was for him to take cover in a particularly large crack in the wall, then use the shadow of her raining weapons to zigzag his Kagemane no Jutsu straight to her. She didn't see it coming until it was too late.

Neji glanced down at her, before shaking his head. It really looked like _he'd_ benefited more from their training than _she_ had, and even then it was only in terms of entertainment. He cast his eyes up to the place where the Sandaime Hokage was watching. He'd heard that the Yondaime Kazekage had initially been planning to attend, but that the disappearance of one of their Genin had caused quite the disturbance. For one thing, that Genin's entire team were disqualified from the exams right off the mark. Neji remembered just how displeased Orochimaru had sounded when he spoke of it.

"_One of our biggest pieces has disappeared."_ he had said, with a scowl, _"And now they're out trying to find him. It's rather disappointing."_

Neji lowered his gaze back to the match below, though the effort was almost a waste. Those two had disappeared yet again, with the only signs of movement being brief flickers and grit flying at random spots. Only those who had trained specially could see more than these tricks of the eyes. Neji, of course, was one of these people.

"_It looks like he is matching Lee."_ he thought amusedly, _"However... that can soon change."_

It certainly looked like things were heating up, the speed of impacts were increasing at a fast rate with no signs of slowing down. Neji was tempted to use his Byakugan just to get a better view, a desire that was slowly rising.

"_Hm, a short while can't hurt."_ he thought, closing his eyes. He then opened them again in a snap,_ "Byakugan!"_

As veins appeared on his temples and his pupils became more defined, his entire view changed. Everything in the vicinity became visible to his eyes, even that which was behind solid wall. He looked over the chakra systems in the area, none were more active than the two down there. However, after a second look he noticed that there was a close runner up.

"_Hm… who is this?"_ Neji thought, with a look of interest, _"Could it be…?"_

* * * * *

The group stopped to rest later that day, Naruto and Gaara preparing some lunch while Kirai left to find his and Rei's. He had been quick to turn down Naruto's offer, saying something like "we don't need your food". So now Naruto, Gaara and Rei sat in a small clearing, Gaara leaning against a tree while Naruto and Rei sat atop a thick root with their legs hanging over the edge. The sound of the roaring was distant, and the cause wasn't visible. As it was, thin rays of sunlight were the only things that brightened up the place, though fortunately the breaks were numerous and so the forest was relatively well lit.

Naruto had taken the courtesy of not eating in front of Rei, and so was using the time Kirai was away to heat the pebbles for his ramen. For now though, they just sat their talking aimlessly.

"So what's it like in the Land of Earth?" Naruto asked, planting his hands on the bark as he leant forward.

"It's not really all that exciting." Rei replied, with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, but there isn't much to tell."

Naruto chuckled, only a little dismayed by her answer. She laughed lightly too, though it was more a reaction to his own laughter than genuine glee.

"What about you?" she asked, when they quietened down.

"I'm the same." Naruto replied, his lie more believable than hers, "It was pretty dull, so I trained as a ninja so I could do something worthwhile."

"Oh." Rei said, with a cheery expression, "You're from Amegakure, right?"

Naruto gave her a nod and a grin, able to avoid his surprise at her figuring that out. It only took him a moment to realise that she probably just glanced u, which made him even gladder that he hadn't done something stupid.

"Yeah, that's right." he said, nodding, "But things were getting pretty heavy, so Gaara and I left."

"What?" Rei asked, with a confused frown, "But Gaara-san told Kirai-sama that you were on a mission from Ame."

Naruto paused for only the slightest second as he stared at Rei. So it was Gaara after all. Not only that, but he had told Kirai about their mission? He locked that information away for a moment, smiling broadly at her.

"Yeah, we're on a mission." he confirmed, "Things are a little busy in Ame, and since we're just Genin we usually get in the way, so we got a mission outside the village."

A look of understanding dawned on Rei's face as things began to make sense to her once more. Naruto resisted a sigh from his close save, and turned to look at Gaara, whose eyes were fixed on him. And the look he was giving was hardly friendly.

"_What are you doing?"_ Naruto thought, as he looked Gaara back, _"Why would you tell them about _that_?!"_

His unnerving thoughts were disturbed however as Kirai returned, appearing from behind one of the thinner trees. In his hand he held three headless fish by the tails, their blood dripping down onto the ground. In his other hand he held a large leaf which dragged along the ground. He walked towards the campfire in the middle of the clearing, before setting the leaf down and dropping the fish onto it. He then knelt down beside the fish and took out his kunai.

"Wow… I think I'll stick to ramen." Naruto muttered, as he slid off the root. Rei tried to smile, but she was too busy averting her gaze from the fish, a queasy expression on her face. Naruto approached the fire and crouched down, setting out his bowl and water s he prepared to make his ramen. He did his business across from Kirai, but could feel the older nin's eyes glancing up at him, "So what is it you're looking for?"

Kirai continued gutting the fish without stopping, but his brow did crease a little.

"I don't owe you any explanation." he replied. Naruto gave him a tired look, was he trying to be stubborn or something?

"How d'ya figure?" he asked sceptically, "You know stuff about us, but I don't know anything about you. Scale seems sorta unbalanced, don't you think?"

Kirai thrust the kunai out of the first fish, sending specks of blood and bits of its insides flying off to the right. Naruto kept watching him though, the intimidation attempt not even being noticed by him. Kirai realised this and grumbled to himself, before continuing.

"From that forehead protector, I'm guessing you're a missing-nin." he said, in a low voice, "Yet you're doing missions for Amegakure. So explain to me why I should tell you anything when you're obviously working for someone from above?"

Naruto stared at Kirai, at least his information gathering skills had some merit. Although, since he didn't know how much Gaara had revealed, that wasn't a complete certainty.

"Hey, what if this guy is trying to cash in on you and Gaara?"

Naruto froze upon hearing Eko's words, if not for the fire his paling face would have been obvious to sight. Of course, the bingo books! He had been put in them before, why not still be in them? And why not Gaara too for that matter? That was it, that _had_ to be it. Kirai was planning on collecting the bounties on Naruto and Gaara's heads!

"You're working for Iwa, so why should _we_ trust _you_?" Naruto countered, his brow creasing.

"How do you know I'm working for Iwa?" Kirai responded casually, "How do you know I'm not a missing-nin?"

Naruto's frown only deepened from that question. If that were the case, then the situation was even more likely that he was a bounty hunter. In which case…

"_Damn it Gaara!"_ Naruto cursed, _"Are you just trying to find out how strong this guy is?"_

Realising that he wasn't going to get anything concrete from this guy, Naruto poured his boiling water into his ramen cup and got to his feet. As he turned to walk away, Kirai looked up at him.

"I will tell you one thing though." he said, causing Naruto to look back at him. He lifted his kunai, holding it pointedly at Naruto, "You do anything to Rei, anything at all, and I will _kill_ you."

Naruto stared incredulously at Kirai, resisting a hard swallow as he felt some killer intent leak out from that dangerous man. He turned away and continued walking, heading somewhere out of sight.

"_Shit!"_ he thought, when he stepped around a tree, _"How the hell do I deal with this?!"_

It was true, this situation was really bad. Though he knew very little of Kirai, there was no doubt that he was a terrifying man. The only person who had caused him to be so nervous before was Kisame, who he had quickly realised really _was_ a monster. But this case was different, everything that Kirai said was serious, unlike Kisame's twisted sense of humour. Right now, Naruto had no doubt in his mind that he was going to have to fight that man sooner or later, a prospect which far from excited him.

"_Still, there's at least something."_ he thought, as he leant against a tree and slid down it, _"If Gaara really is gauging that guy's strength, then he probably intends to fight him. Together we've got a better chance at least."_

He took the chopsticks from the side of the tub and broke them apart, stirring his ramen absent mindedly. He still wore the same expression he had when he left, he couldn't even relax when he was sitting on his own with a tub of ramen in his hands. He let out a sigh, this was turning out to be one hell of a mission.


	50. The truth unfolds

ALERT! ALERT! After quickly changing my mind, I have determined that this arc is most definitely NOT FILLER! In fact, this arc could be one of the most important ones in this entire part of the story! Damn! I'm getting the urge to rush things along! But I'll resist! How many of these "!" am I gonna freaking use?!

Disclaimer: What do Deidara and Jiraiya have in common? They both like to go out with a bang!

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* * *

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**The truth unfolds**

Konoha lay in ruins, the mounds of rubble and stench of smoke offended the senses no matter where you turned. The grey sky and dripping clouds seemed to lament the sorrowful village, quietly giving its condolences as it watched from above.

There stood a long line of people on the roof of Konoha's academy, each of them dressed in black robes. They all stood with sad patience as they waited to approach the altar, to pay their last respects.

Neji stood somewhere in the middle of the line, his two team mates behind him and his sensei in front. Despite the situation, Neji couldn't help but feel strange at the sight of his team leader, Maito Gai, dressed in something other than that detestable jumpsuit. Though, that thought seemed more of a distraction than anything else.

He looked down to his right hand, raising it to look at the white flower held in a tight grip.

"_What species is this?"_ he wondered, his blank stare revealing only obscurity.

Though he was well versed in many different ceremonies, he never learned about funerals. Ever since his father's, he had believed such knowledge would be useless to him. Yet here he was, attending another funeral that he wished he didn't have to.

"Hey… Neji?" Tenten quietly said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Neji asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Nothing, just… you look a little down." she replied, with a look of concern. Neji thought about remarking to that, but in the end he just didn't feel like it. He looked ahead again, the line seemed endless.

"He could have retired, and be replaced with a younger, more able Hokage." he said, watching his sensei's back, "Yet he kept his post, and was killed because of another's actions. I suppose that this situation is… familiar."

He was aware that it wasn't only Tenten who was listening to him, the slight turn of his sensei's head and the predictability of the person behind Tenten was too obvious. But just like her, they didn't say anything.

The line moved on at an ever slow pace, a single step roughly every half minute. The wait was maddening, it took all of Neji's composure to keep himself calm. Every now and then a person or a couple would pass, each of them silent and downhearted. Neji looked at their expressions, wondering why on earth they would feel so strongly for a foolish old man.

"Hey, Neji." Tenten said again, "Are… you ok?"

"I'm fine." Neji replied with a sigh, "Absolutely fine."

His brow then rose as his sensei turned around to face him. Neji looked up at the man with the shining black bowl cut and monstrous eyebrows, his focus on the serious expression of his face.

"A person who denies their own feelings may as well deny that they are alive." Gai said, both strongly and delicately, "Though as Shinobi we are expected to keep our feelings under control, trying to convince yourself they don't exist is an even greater risk."

Neji looked his sensei in the eye. Though he may be an overenthusiastic imbecile, he had a point. However, as always, there was a hole in his words.

"A person's feelings have nothing to do with whether they will live or die." he replied, in a calm and collected manner, "Their deaths are fated, that is all."

Gai blinked in surprise at Neji, as Tenten and Lee gave him stunned looks. Though it had always been clear that Neji disagreed with Gai's viewpoints, he had never openly said anything of it. The fact that he would talk back to his own sensei like this was truly startling. Gai stared at Neji, but the boy had dropped eye contact, looking as though he didn't even see his sensei anymore. It was that which got to the Jonin worst of all, to be completely disregarded by his own student. But his surprised look soon faded, replaced with one of understanding. He turned back to face the front, and let Neji be.

The four of them remained silent as the solemn procession moved on. Neji could no longer feel his team mates eyes on him, even Tenten seemed to be looking away. That was fine, he couldn't stand being looked at with sad eyes.

Finally, the line came to an end for him. Gai paid his respects and stepped away, waiting for his team to do so too. Neji took his place, looking first at the already sizeable pile before him, and then up at the small picture of the old man, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"_In the end, it was my master who killed you."_ Neji thought, as he stared at the face, _"And I assisted him, which means that I also had a hand in killing you, and everyone else who died in that invasion... I wonder, do you know this?"_

He stared at the face of the old man, as if he expected a response from the still picture. But in the end, he knew that was never going to happen. He placed his flower on top of the pile, knowing that it meant less than the others.

"_Farewell… Hokage-sama."_ he thought, before walking away.

* * * * *

Amidst the shadows of the high branches, there stood the form of a large bird, perched on the wooden bough. It stood obscured for the most part, its slate black feathers blending in well with the darkness. The whit underside was a little clearer, but not by much. It watched the ground below with midnight eyes, its grey head turning quickly and seemingly irregularly. It opened its hooked black beak for a moment long enough to let out its shrill cry, before the harpy eagle took off, swooping down to the depths below.

Naruto glanced up as he heard the proud bird's call, but missed it among the dark foliage of the leaves above. Though this forest seemed endless, with every tree different from the last, he knew that they should be reaching the edge of the forest soon. In his mind he could already see the map, it wasn't going to be long until they reached their destination. He wondered how he was going to deal with the situation he was in, and was going over the possibilities.

The massive jungle of the land had finally begun thinning out, the roaring water also slipping away too. It was a nice reprieve, but small considering the rising tension of every passing day. Naruto looked behind him at Gaara and Kirai, they had both taken to hanging back for some reason. That just left him and Rei, who had for some reason decided to join him again. He looked at her, she was possibly the most mysterious thing about this whole mess. What was her part in all this, if Kirai was trying to collect the bounties on their heads? Was she to lull him into a false sense of security or something? But then… what else?

"Kirai-san's pretty protective of you, y'know that?" he asked, wondering if he could maybe get more information out of her.

"Well… I suppose he is." Rei agreed, her eyes on the ground, "He's been like this ever since we left."

Naruto kept his eyes on Rei, she had that far away look again. The more he saw it, the more he grew curious. But all the same, he didn't want to ask anything when he was probably within hearing distance of Kirai. He needed to confirm his and Eko's suspicions, but he had to be extremely careful regarding how he went about that. So in the meantime, he stretched his arms high and groaned, before looking over his shoulder.

"Hey Gaara, you up for some training?" he called, looking at the red haired boy with an almost knowing look. As expected, Gaara unfolded his arms.

"Fine." he said, coming to a stop. Kirai paused too, glancing between the two Genin. Naruto stared at him for a moment, and he seemed to understand. He moved on ahead, rejoining with Rei as the two continued on the road. When they made suitable distance, Naruto turned back to Gaara.

"So I was thinking, why don't we try a match?" he asked, with a fairly chipper look.

"A match?" Gaara repeated, his brow creasing but his expression of intrigue, "What kind of match?"

"Heh, come on." Naruto grinned, jerking his head to the right. Gaara followed him with his eyes for a few seconds, before doing the same thing with the rest of his body.

Naruto followed the sound of the waterfalls, heading in the direction that the deafening roar was coming from. It took them only a minute to reach one, a long and wide river with water crashing over boulders on a higher ledge to their right. Naruto stopped here, still grinning as he dropped his satchel against a tree and turned to Gaara.

"Ok, first rule: there's only one Jutsu we're allowed to use." he explained, as he undid his cloak and dropped it next to his satchel, "The walking on water Jutsu."

Gaara looked past Naruto at the crashing water. Though it wasn't exactly a rapid, the water moved fast and appeared to be quite deep. Balance would be difficult even with chakra, and if you lose your footing you could easily get pulled under or worse. It was definitely dangerous.

"Second rule." Naruto continued, as he pulled two kunai out from his pouch, "We can only use these."

In a swift movement, he whipped around and threw the two kunai, sending them both straight through the waterfall. If not for the sound of the falls, a dull thud would have been heard as the kunai embedded themselves in the rocks behind the cascading veil. Gaara's eyes narrowed, his interest increasing.

"Third rule." Naruto said, as he removed his pouch, weapons holster and of course, Eko, "You leave the water, you lose."

He dropped the items onto his cloak, and waited for Gaara to do the same. After a moment's consideration, he did just that, removing his gourd and cloak. He dropped them both at his feet and, since he carried no other tools, made his way onto the water. Naruto did so as well, the two of them standing side by side as they faced the falls.

"Ready?" Naruto asked, as he spotted the kunai on his side amongst the water, "…GO!"

He and Gaara dashed across the trembling water, heading straight towards the falls. The noise was deafening, but that wasn't their biggest concern; Naruto hadn't predicted just how hard you were struck you when you stood beneath a waterfall. Even during his leaf training he'd kept far enough back to keep himself as dry as possible, but now he was charging headfirst into it. In seconds it felt like his entire body had gone numb with both cold and shock, but he pushed himself onwards regardless. He grabbed the kunai and pulled at it, surprised to find it embedded tight. From the corner of his eye he saw Gaara having the same problem, though his situation was a little different. Because he was being struck hard, the sand from his gourd had rushed to defend him even from that distance. But the water immediately soaked it and sent it crashing down into the deep below. Naruto looked at Gaara's eyes to see the desert boy's take on this, and nearly lost control of his chakra. Gaara looked like he had lost his mind.

"_Damn, was this too much to ask of a guy from the desert?" _he thought, as he managed to prise his kunai out and leap back.

He watched with a worried look as Gaara remained there, his head forced down from the pressure. How much more of this could he take? Naruto almost decided to call the thing off, when suddenly Gaara threw himself back, slashing out with his freed kunai. Naruto barely managed to block with his own blade as Gaara tried to push the point in through the area just above Naruto's collarbone.

"_He's lost it!"_ Naruto thought, as he saw the veins in Gaara's already blank eyes grow, and the grin on his face grow mad.

"I… want…" he breathed, his voice becoming guttural, "your blood!"

Naruto pushed back with his kunai, which wasn't too difficult considering Gaara's lacking strength. Not only that, but it looked like Gaara really had gone numb, his grip on his kunai was fairly weak. Though Gaara's mental state was also a contributing factor.

"That pain… feel it!" Gaara groaned. Then, suddenly, he dropped down, swiping at Naruto's feet with his leg. Naruto saw this and hopped into the air, a shocked look on his face.

"_He has Taijutsu?!"_ he thought incredulously. He realised it had been his mistake to assume Gaara could only use the sand, he had severely underestimated him.

As soon as Naruto reached the height of his ascension, Gaara lifted himself onto his knee, thrusting the kunai forward with both hands tightly gripping it. Naruto could see it, and knew he needed to act fast. With a heavy swipe, he slashed downwards with his kunai and struck Gaara's, forcing it down. Then, with the gathered momentum, he flipped forward and brought his heel down.

"HA!" Naruto yelled, as his foot connected with Gaara's shoulder.

"GAH!" Gaara cried in pain, as he was thrown down. Naruto saw his chakra control fail, and in an instant he was plummeting through the surface of the water.

"_Shit!"_ he thought, as he grabbed the boy by the scruff of the neck and attempted to pull him back out. It was difficult, the force of the water had already pulled Gaara past and was threatening to drag Naruto along too. But with a hard tug, he managed to get the desert nin out.

Gaara landed back on the water, sitting up. The blow Naruto dealt had hurt, but it hadn't knocked him out. He raised his hand to his shoulder, wincing in pain. He had lost his kunai to the water, and was left defenceless. Naruto stared down at him, gripping his own kunai tight. It looked like whatever was about to happen had been stopped. Gaara's eyes, though still angry, showed the awareness he usually possessed.

"Give it to me straight." Naruto said, making sure his voice was heard over the thrashing water, "You told Kirai about us, and got him to follow us so that you could find out how strong he is and kill him, am I right?"

"You really are a useless moron." Gaara growled, pushing himself to his feet, "A coward like you doesn't deserve answers."

Naruto lashed out at Gaara, slamming his fist into the boy's other shoulder. He was thrown back instantly, through the falls and against the rocks. Naruto pushed himself through the falls and thrusted both his hands onto Gaara's shoulders, pressing him against the natural wall.

"I'M SICK OF YOU LOOKING DOWN ON ME!" he yelled, his voice almost inaudible from the water crashing down on him, "WHERE THE HELL DO YOU GET OFF LOOKING DOWN ON ME?!"

"You make your ideals, and say them with undeserved pride." Gaara snarled, "Yet whenever there is any pressure put down on those ideals, or someone argues against them, you crumble immediately. A meaningless existence like yours _should just disappear_."

Hissing the last part, Gaara reached out and grabbed Naruto's jacket, pulling him closer. The blond boy's eyes widened in shock at the forcefulness, almost forgetting that he was the one who had the other up against the wall.

"If there's someone I know who doesn't want to fight, then I'll fight for them." Gaara said, glaring at Naruto meaningfully, "Even if the enemy is a lot stronger than me, because it's the right thing to do." Weren't those your words?"

Naruto's expression fell from the angered shock to a stunned look. He was too captured by Gaara's reminder of what had said to wonder how it was he had heard them.

"You say that, and yet you work to make a war that will inevitably hurt all of those people." Gaara continued, as his expression slid too, "Even if my own ideals are different, I can't stand people who act in such a way. You are either a fool, or a liar. Which is it?"

Naruto just stared dumbly, at a loss for what to say. Gaara felt his grip slacken and batted his hands away, stepping aside to dry land. Naruto slumped forward, leaning his arm against the rocky wall as the water continued to strike his back.

"Damn it…" he breathed, his hand tightening into a fist, "Damn it…"

Gaara reached the land and crouched down, pressing his hand against the ground. By the looks of things, he was attempting to replenish his store of sand, but the earth was too wet for that.

"I can't even imagine what it must take for you to be so useless." he said, as he pushed himself back to his feet. He looked back at Naruto, who was straightening up. He stepped out from the water, looking at Gaara solemnly, "Well?"

Naruto looked at Gaara for a moment, still caught in silence. But after a few moments, he finally managed to pick up the strength to speak.

"I… I'm done." he said, his own words catching him by surprise, "I'm leaving Ame."

Gaara watched him closely, lifting his arms to cross them. Though the defeated look on Naruto's face annoyed him, his decision made up for that just a little.

"No, you're not." Gaara replied, catching Naruto's attention, "You've done too much to just walk away."

"Then what?" Naruto asked, his brow creasing. Gaara unfolded his arms and reached up, removing his sash and the other unnecessary pieces of clothing made heavier by the water.

"You and I have the same goal, even if our reasons are different." he said, as he dropped the sash on the ground, "But you're too much of an idiot to work out what to do on your own."

"… So what then?" Naruto asked again. Gaara looked at him pointedly, giving him a gaze that demanded eye contact.

"For now, do as I do." he instructed, raising his hands to his head, "Then, when you can act on your own, do as you wish."

Naruto watched with a deepening frown as Gaara gripped the black piercings on his ears. Then, with a strong clench of both hands, there was a cracking sound. Naruto watched in shock as black shards fell to the ground at Gaara's feet, the piercings had been broken. He looked at Gaara both questioningly and in disbelief wondering what he was thinking.

"Do it, and from now on rely on your own power." Gaara ordered, in a tone allowing no defiance.

Naruto looked from Gaara to Eko, hoping the blade would be able to give help him out here. But the katana was too far away, he was left on his own here.

"_Should I do it?"_ he thought, uncertainly, _"What would Pein-san do if I did?"_

"Is this all you measure your worth by?" Gaara asked, his eyes narrowing, "Is _this_ the strength of your existence? If it is, then it'd be better if I just killed you now."

Naruto remained hesitant, but Gaara got to him.

"_Damn it, Pein-san said the same thing."_ he thought, before finally answering, "Fine, I'll do it."

Gaara watched him as he raised his hands and gripped the piercings. Naruto could feel the strange metal between his fingers, cold from the water. It was because of these that he had managed to master futon chakra so quickly, and also the reason he was able to tap into the Kyubi's chakra at all. What was more, Pein would know what he had done as soon as he returned to Ame.

But… what Pein had said, and what Gaara was saying, he was sick of being seen as a weak willed person just doing as he was told. He needed to do this, so he could better rely on his own ability. And so he tightened his grip, feeling the rings around his ears start to break. When he heard the resounding crack, he lowered his hands and uncurled his fingers, looking at the small black pieces.

"I'm doing this on my own." he said, as he dropped the pieces onto the ground, "I'll become strong, and find my own path."

"Come on." Gaara said, grabbing his cloak and throwing it on, "After that stupid idea of yours, we're going to need a fire."

"Heh heh…" Naruto chuckled apologetically. He walked over to his own pile and grabbed his things, strapping them back on.

"You know, I kinda like that Gaara guy."

Naruto laughed again, throwing his cloak over his shoulders. He turned back to Gaara and together they made their way back through the trees.

"You know what must be done then?" Gaara asked, looking at Naruto from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, with a smile, "I gotta get a whole lot stronger first."

Gaara nodded, before looking ahead again. Naruto's smile widened, he kind of agreed with Eko. Though he was a homicidal maniac who loved to kill others, and seemed to be possessed some of the time, he was kind of cool too.

* * * * *

It was late, the sun had set but the sky was still red. Birds settled in the trees, making their nests for the night. All over the woods in fact, many animals went to their nests, dens or whatever they were called, to pass the night away and sleep. However, at this time other animals were awaking too, coming out from their holes to peek at the fading light. Owls, foxes, hedgehogs, raccoons, quite a few shining eyes appearing in the bushes and branches of the many trees.

Down below, along the path leading towards Konoha's academy, Neji sat in a tree. He had his back resting against the bark, and a leg hanging over the edge. He watched the waning moon absent mindedly, his thoughts for once were empty. It had been a while since he had a moment like this, and from what he knew, it would be a while before he could have it again.

"Is that Neji-kun?"

Neji glanced down, fixing his eyes upon the person staring up at him with a warm smile. For a moment, he didn't recognise the man. But the tied back brown hair and scar across his nose became a quick reminder, he recalled now who this was.

"Good evening Iruka-sensei." Neji said, as straight faced as ever. Iruka let out a small laugh, shaking his head.

"Is that all you have to say after not seeing your old sensei for a year?" he asked, with a fake look of offence, "I heard from Gai-san that you've grown into quite a strong Shinobi."

"Is that so?" Neji asked, feigning interest, "I can't say Gai-sensei is exactly skilled when it comes to detail, so I wouldn't trust his words so much."

"Wow, I never imagined hearing you saying something disrespectful." Iruka muttered, already noticing the change in his former student, "Looks like you've grown in more ways than one then."

Neji lifted his other leg off of the bough and slid down to the paving below. He looked again at Iruka, who was giving him the once over.

"I imagine you've been rather busy lately." Neji said, as he stepped down onto the path.

"Yeah, it's been pretty tough." Iruka agreed, "But if it helps the village get back on its feet, I'm glad to do it."

"Hey Iruka-san!"

Neji and Iruka both cast their eyes down the street. Off to the distance, an old man walked towards him with his hand in the air. As he got closer, and the light hit him clearer, his appearance became stranger. His long, white, tied back hair stuck out in every direction, like a wild mane of a lion. His fringe was kept aside by a large, spiked forehead protector bearing the kanji for "oil" on it. His small eyes were marked with thin red lines that ran down his cheeks and to his jaw, giving the ominous suggestion that he was crying blood.

Though it was greatly greyed by the night, Neji could see the fade green uwagi and zubon he wore and a red sleeveless haori that was worn above them. He also wore a pair of red geta, and had a large scroll strapped onto his back. Neji almost sighed at the sight of him, this tall old man was even more conspicuous than Gai and Lee. Iruka however, seemed to have a different reaction to the sight of this old man.

"J-Jiraiya-sama!" he exclaimed, "I didn't know you were back!"

"Yeah yeah. Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about." Jiraiya said, as he neared Neji and Iruka. He then glanced at the Hyuga boy, who immediately got the message.

"I'll leave you be, Iruka-sensei." he said, bowing his head as he went on his way.

"Oh, sure." Iruka replied, following him with his eyes, "Let's catch up some other time, ok?"

Neji waved as he walked off, keeping his eyes ahead so not to give away his thoughts.

"_Jiraiya…"_ he repeated, his brow creasing,_ "Could it be _that _Jiraiya?"_

Recalling what Orochimaru had once told him about a Jiraiya, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. He waited until he reached the end of the street, before raising his hand in a seal.

"_Byakugan!"_

He watched as everything came into view, his focus not on the plants or the trees, the buildings or the lights. He immediately honed in on the two behind him, Jiraiya and Iruka. Though the Byakugan offered no aid to hearing, he earned the skill of a lip reader long ago, and would make no mistake.

"I was looking over some of the Sandaime's reports, when I found something very interesting." Jiraiya said, crossing his arms and wearing a serious look, "Uzumaki Naruto has gone missing?"

"_Uzumaki Naruto?"_ Neji thought, his eyes narrowing as he recalled the name, _"That Shinobi… he's from Konoha?!"_

"Uh… yeah." Iruka replied, with a sad expression, "One of the other teachers, Mizuki, tricked him into stealing the Scroll of Seals for him. I just got there in time to find out the truth, but Naruto-kun ran off and Mizuki chased after him."

"But Naruto got away?" Jiraiya asked, his brow creasing.

"That's right." Iruka nodded, "We're not sure of the details, but he was seen with another Shinobi who had killed Mizuki and taken his body. He and Naruto-kun disappeared before we could stop them."

"Are there any leads at all?" Jiraiya asked, clearly hoping for something the reports missed. Iruka gripped his chin with his fingers as he thought about it.

"Well, the Scroll of Seals was found close to where we think Mizuki was killed." he replied, "The fact that someone passed up the opportunity to take something like that suggested that they really didn't want to be followed."

"And yet they took the container of the Kyubi…" Jiraiya muttered, before sighing, "This isn't good."

"Is it really that serious?" Iruka asked, with concern, "I want to see Naruto-kun back in Konoha more than most, but I'm getting the feeling this is bigger than that."

"It is." Jiraiya replied, "But I don't have anything concrete."

Neji did his best to continue reading, though considering what he was finding out it wasn't that simple.

"_So this Naruto has the Kyubi no Yoko sealed within him?"_ he thought, _"Then that chakra was-"_

"Well, I _have_ heard some rumours." Iruka said, scratching his head, "But I don't know how reliable they are."

"What is it?" Jiraiya asked, his arms unfolding.

"Well, I heard that Naruto-kun was put in the bingo book, wanted alive." Iruka answered, "The instructions were for him to be brought here, but there was no sign of an order being placed for that. Not long after that there were reports of a few ninja being hospitalised for unknown reasons, and a guard who had been knocked out with a Genjutsu at the west exit."

"You think someone came after the person who had Naruto put in the book?" Jiraiya asked.

"I don't know, this might not even be true." Iruka replied, "But… I did hear something pretty scary. Apparently Gai's team encountered a missing-nin from Kirigakure. He'd said his name was Hoshigake Kisame. And… from what I've heard… he was dressed exactly the same as the person who Naruto-kun disappeared with."

Jiraiya's expression couldn't possibly have portrayed more seriousness than that, it looked like he agreed with Iruka that that was indeed scary.

"I'll need to confirm this, but thanks." he said, before disappearing.

Neji deactivated his Byakugan, his eyes wide with surprise and intrigue. He hadn't expected to hear Naruto's name to come up again, never mind that there had been such a commotion about him. It was certainly interesting information, and it left him with an interesting choice. From what he'd heard, it looked like no one had passed on the fact that Naruto had worn an Amegakure forehead protector, never mind the fact that it was slashed.

"_Should I come forward with this?"_ he thought, as he continued walking, _"It could buy some time for Orochimaru-sama, but what if he could use that information himself?"_

He walked through the street, a smile spreading across his lips. This situation was beyond fascinating. The fact that Uzumaki Naruto had been the only person in his age group to defeat him had left him severely irritated. But now…

"_Perhaps I'll keep it under my hat, for the moment."_


	51. Into the depths

Well that's this arc almost over and done with. Damn it, this chapter just didn't want to stop. By the time it's over my fingers are running on adrenaline without letting my brain have any, IT'S HARD! Ah well, I'll cope. I think I did a pretty good job here, and if i didn't, CHIKKUSHO!!! Ah well, read and let red, pr something like that.

Disclaimer: as you may have guessed from my last chapter, I've taken to writing Naruto jokes, since there are basically NONE.

Hidan: No man is an island.

Shikamaru: You've never seen and Akimichi swim.

* * *

**Into the depths**

"This must be it." Naruto said, as he came to a stop. The others climbed up behind him, looking over the boulders at the sight ahead.

A great fall cascaded from high above, water flying over the edge of the rocks and crashing into the river below. The thousands of tiny crystals fell down, the light shining of them and making the falls shine. That water dashed down its path, thrashing in every direction as it became a rapid. All around it, the trees were dense and insanely large. Green moss covered just about every visible surface of the wooden pillars, giving them an emerald sheen. All that could be heard was the deafening roar, it seemed to be the only existing sound at all.

Gaara stood next to Naruto, fixing his eyes upon the falls. Though it had taken a long time, he had finally accumulated enough sand to regain his gourd. It was because of all that time and effort that he looked at the water distastefully, not wanting to go through that again. Naruto glanced at him, recognising his expression. He grinned nervously, taking a step forward.

"I'll take care of the water." he said, as he began the descent down to the other side of the rocks. Gaara, Kirai and Rei made to follow, but he looked at the latter two, "It's gonna be dangerous in there. I don't think it'd be a good idea for Rei-chan to come along."

Kirai and Rei looked at each other for a moment, seeming to read each other's thoughts. Kirai looked back to Naruto as Rei bowed her head.

"Fine, we'll wait here." he said, folding his arms, "Just get a move on."

"Yeah yeah." Naruto replied, as he dropped down onto soft earth.

Now with only Gaara to follow him, he was able to relax a little. Despite their talk, Naruto hadn't really gotten the answers he'd been looking for. He was a little annoyed that he'd been thrown like that, but in the end he was glad. However, he had developed the strange habit of checking his ears every now and then, as if he couldn't believe he had actually done what he did.

They now stood by the edge of the falls, looking through the tiny gap between the water and the wall behind it. Sure enough, there was a sizeable hole amidst the rock, easily big enough for the two of them to pass through. This had to be the cave they were looking for, no doubt about it.

Naruto looked down at the water below. It was pretty obvious that they wouldn't be able to stand on it, it was way too unsteady. They'd need to stick close to the wall then, there was no other way if they wanted to keep Gaara from losing his sand. And so Naruto raised his hands in the crossed ram seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called. With a quick flicker and trace of smoke, two clones appeared to his left, ready and waiting, "Come on, and watch your gourd."

Gaara nodded as he and Naruto moved closer to the wall. The two clones jumped over them, clinging to the surface of the rocks with their feet. The highest one reached out with his hands and pushed them lightly into the waterfall. With a crease of his brow he channelled Futon chakra through his hands and cut the water, forcing it away from him. This created some of the path, but not all of it. The other clone took care of that, stepping forward and doing the same. Soon, there was a small opening leading into the cave. Naruto looked at Gaara, who nodded, before heading in.

They jumped into the hole in the rocks, only getting sprayed by a light mist in the process. Once they were in, the clones dispersed and the veil covered their exit once more. Scattered light broke through the passage of stone, but that was only a momentary grace, they couldn't even see the end of the passage from here.

"Alright, we'll stick close together." Naruto said, as he slung his satchel around, "Pein-san said these dogs were strange, so watch out."

"Fine." Gaara muttered, looking over his shoulder at his gourd to check it was still dry, "We'll need a way to make it through these tunnels without getting lost."

"Got it covered." Naruto replied, as he took something from his bag, "If I can save enough chakra my Kage Bunshin can find the way. But we'll need to move quickly, we don't really know what's down here."

Gaara stepped forward, looking down the farther reaches of the tunnels. His eyes narrowed and his stance called for silence. Naruto looked down too, wondering what Gaara was looking for.

"The further in we move, the better idea we'll have of what we're dealing with." he said, as he began walking.

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, as he pulled a long, steel torch from his bag before following Gaara. With the press of a button it turned on, casting a long beam down the cave, "According to Pein-san the dog's eyes shouldn't be very strong from living down here, and that their other senses should be stronger."

"In which case, we'll assume they already know we're here." Gaara replied, as the sound of the waterfall began to fade away.

They descended through the damp tunnel, the chill air and stench of damp making Naruto feel quite uncomfortable. The path seemed to continue down on a steady recline, suggesting the land above was fairly vast.

Naruto cast the beam of the torch along the tunnel, it appeared to be growing steadily wider. In a short time, what had started off as a small tunnel was quickly becoming a cavern. Water dripped from stalagmites and fell down to shallow pools below. The cavern was filled with that sound, the constant dripping of water hitting water. It cast around in every direction, just like the smell.

Along the walls of the tunnel, and even the ceiling, were holes leading off in other directions. There was no way of knowing how far off they went, or even if they led somewhere. The light of the torch showed only craggy surface.

"The sound of the falls is reverberating through the tunnels." Gaara said, taking a look around, "Most likely there aren't many places for sound to escape."

"Only one way out huh?" Naruto muttered, "Then we definitely can't afford to get lost."

"Hm." Gaara grunted, with a nod, "We'll continue on this path, since the others seem to have been formed from this one."

"Yeah…" Naruto replied, still shining his torch around.

There were naturally formed ledges and outcrops scattered in a seemingly random matter. This place felt different from the other caves he had been in, it seemed more enclosed and natural compared to the one Kisame had shown him, and not as vast as the one Zetsu had taken him to. But there was another defining factor. This cave, it had a different kind of smell. Not the damp smell of the passing water, nor the burning smell of crystals. The smell… it was just like dog.

Naruto frowned, for some reason he suddenly felt a chill, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to rise up. He looked around, suddenly overcome with the strange feeling of being under the gaze of another. He shone his torch through the holes in the walls, but he couldn't see anything.

"You take point." Gaara said, slowing his pace just enough so he was walking behind Naruto, "The sand won't defend you like it does me, I will have to do so myself."

"Sure… alright." Naruto replied slowly, turning his gaze back to the front. He made sure to keep aware though, the feeling hadn't gone away yet. He really wanted to ask Eko if he could see anything, since the blade's vision obviously worked differently to Naruto's. But he didn't want Gaara to know that the katana had a consciousness, Kisame had been _very_ clear that that sort of thing should be kept a secret.

_Tap tap tap tap tap._

Naruto whipped his torch to the left, locking onto one of the side tunnels. There was no denying that clicking sound he'd just heard, what had it been? Though he looked, he saw-

_"Hold on…"_ he thought, as he narrowed his eyes.

Though he had caught it for only a moment, before it disappeared completely, he had been very sure he'd just seen what looked like a small mist. But why would there be something like that? Usually mist came in pools, didn't it? So if it wasn't mist…

"They're watching us."

Naruto looked behind him, to the blade on his back. At least he knew Eko was paying attention, that much was a relief. What he said on the other hand, wasn't.

Gaara looked at him, seeing his expression and reading it. He nodded to him, confirming he had the same thoughts. Slowly, the cork from his gourd slid out, dropping into his open palm. Naruto took this as a signal to ready himself, he opened up his cloak silently. He pushed the torch into the strap intended for a belt, and tucked the right side of his cloak in to keep it from covering the light. With his hands now free, he was ready for whatever outcome would be presented before them.

_Tap tap tap tap tap._

There it was again, that clicking sound. But this time, rather than coming from a single place, it echoed throughout the tunnels. Naruto prayed that it was only an echo, but deep down he knew the other clicks were just too irregular.

_Thrsssss…_

Naruto glanced over his shoulder, noticing the sand falling out of Gaara's gourd. It dropped down to the ground, but hovered just a few inches above it like a mist. This was the last Naruto could see of Gaara, as the last wisps of light from the entrance disappeared. Now all they were left with was blackness, and the light of the torch.

_Tap tap tap tap tap._

The tapping sound was now continuous, following them on their trek down the stone corridor. It never seemed to fade or slow, it kept pace with them the entire way. The sound was more than a little troubling, it was impossible to determine size or numbers with the structure of this place. But what was even more nerve wracking was the fact that whatever was watching them seemed to be making no move to confront them. It gave him the feeling even more so that they were walking into a trap. In the end, he gave into his concern and looked over his shoulder to Gaara, hoping the desert boy's vision was strong enough to see the questioning look on his face.

"Uh… Naruto?"

Naruto came to a stop. The clicking had silenced. Slowly turning his head, he followed the sound of heavy breathing, sweat forming on his brow in the process. His heart almost stopped.

On the path ahead, standing in the beam of light, there was a dog of the likes Naruto had never seen before. It surpassed the size of all dogs he had ever seen, and if note for the salamanders, would be the biggest animal he'd ever seen in any case. It stood easily at the height of his chest, its black eyes blinking furiously at the daze of the torchlight.

Its Tuscan red fur was heavily matted down, hanging off it like a shaggy rug. Its black gums were completely visible, as were the rows of vicious looking fangs in its threatening jaws. Along its back, it had two peculiar protrusions resembling wings, though they seemed malformed and greatly undersized for something of its mass. It stood on the ground with its four paws, of which each had large claws protruding. These were obviously the source of the clicking, they were certainly oversized and dangerous looking. A long, bushy tail batted against the ground, the dog's low posture allowing it to do so.

It shook its head, the glare of the light clearly dazzling it and causing it pain. Naruto slowly reached for his torch and lowered it, the beam now shining on the empty floor. The beast continued to blink heavily, but now it continued to stare at Naruto, its lips curling back and a low growl slipping past its fangs, just like the dripping saliva.

"Don't break eye contact." Gaara ordered, quietly, "And move slowly."

Naruto gave the tiniest of nods, moving forward a step at a time. It was clear the dog didn't like this, it lowered its stance even more and the growl became louder. All around him more of those growls sounded out, from the side tunnels and even the main one. Up ahead, two more dogs appeared identical to the one before them. The situation was going from bad to worse, with the misting breaths of the dogs rising in a vapour.

"Can you release some of the Kyubi's chakra?" Gaara asked, as he and Naruto stopped again.

"I don't know." Naruto honestly replied, "Should I try?"

"No, if you fail they'll attack." Gaara said, as he took a moment to think. It seemed like he finally came up with an idea, though since that was revealed with a sigh, it wasn't exactly comforting, "We'll have to try and confuse them with numbers then."

"… Got it." Naruto muttered, as he slowly raised his hands.

"Hrrrrr…" the dogs snarled, their fur rising on its hackles as they lowered themselves so their bodies were almost touching the ground. Naruto's hands came together in their seal, and he channelled his chakra.

"Taju…" he said, starting quietly, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

_BAMF!_

The cavern was suddenly filled with the smoke of Naruto's Jutsu, stunning the dogs into a confused state as dozens of Naruto's ran out in every direction. Once they had collected themselves, the dogs rapidly gave chase, following their prey through the many tunnels of their territory. Within moments, the cavern was completely empty, just the last vapours of smoke left.

"Let's go!" Gaara ordered, as he seemingly burst from the wall. Sand fell down to the ground, revealing Naruto and himself to have been cocooned within it. Naruto jumped out too, and the two of them ran down the tunnel that no clones or dogs had taken.

The noise, the incredible noise. Though it was nowhere near them, the vibrations casting through the numerous passages made it feel like they were running through the epicentre. Slashes, roars, yells, growls, splashes, cries, barks, howls. Everywhere the sound cast, like a crescendo of tribulation.

The two of them pounded down the descending passage, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of the dogs or the clones. The sand whirled around Gaara like bees around a hive, ready to defend or strike if the need arose. Up ahead, a fork appeared in the road, both leading straight on but curving off in either direction. Without being able to stop, Naruto simply guessed the right and Gaara followed him, the two flitting down through at the best speed they could muster.

The tunnel slowly rose, as they quickly ran, reaching a steady increase of height that bent from left to right time to time. They were constantly turning through the winding path, until Naruto's eyes widened.

"Shit!" he cursed, as he heard the incessant clicking coming from behind, "Dead end!"

"No, down there!" Gaara called, pointing at the floor. Naruto looked at where he was gesturing, and was relieved to see a hole at the end of the passage. He didn't stop to wonder why he could see faint light emanating from it, nor why he could feel a soft breeze. He picked up the speed he'd lost and hopped down, praying the bottom wasn't too far off.

His prayers went unanswered.

"Shit!" he swore again, as he plummeted down below.

The fall was massive, at least a few storeys. It passed down into a vast, surprisingly well lit chamber. If not for the situation, Naruto would have wanted to take a more detailed look around. As it was, he was a little preoccupied.

"Sabaku Fuyu!" Gaara called, as he grabbed Naruto's arm. Suddenly the sand that had been hovering around him dropped down, solidifying in a platform beneath their feet. The two of them landed on it safely, crouching down for balance.

"Good… one." Naruto said, catching his breath. Though Gaara was breathing heavily too, he wasn't gasping as Naruto was.

The two of them slowly descended downwards, away from the hole and towards the middle of the grotto. Naruto turned around, sitting down on the platform and taking the chance to look around. It was now that he realised that there _was_ in fact another opening in this labyrinth of tunnels, though it was only a small one. Up above, higher than the place they had fallen through, there was another hole with sunlight shining down into the lower reaches. It gave the entire place a faint brown glow, the almost orange rocks making it seem like it was sunset.

That wasn't all there was in this place. Through a small opening in one of the walls at the far side, water trickled out and fell down over the moss covered boulders below, flowing into a stream leading out into one of the tunnels to the left. There were some signs of plant life down there, grass, bushes, even what looked like small trees existed down there. It was large, but peaceful, a surprising kind of place to find down here. It was the middle of this space that they lowered down to.

The platform of sand reached the bottom of this expanse and crumbled away as Naruto and Gaara stepped off of it. They both took a moment to look around from the ground, this place was truly immense.

"Man…" Naruto breathed, "How are we supposed the find a scroll in _this_ place?"

"We look." was Gaara's blunt reply.

"Thanks for the input."

Naruto chuckled, stepping towards the stream. He watched the water pass over the stones gently, trickling along the path. He looked in the direction the stream travelled, down quite a large tunnel.

"If they're not keeping it here, then maybe it'll be wherever this stream leads to?" he suggested, as he tried to envisage the scroll being down there.

"It's possible." Gaara said, looking that same way, "It would make sense for them to keep something like the scroll in a place where they can guard it. Their watering hole seems most likely, since that would probably be the centre of their territory. If this isn't that place, then it must be down there."

"Well, guess we'll find out." Naruto replied, as he began to walk in that direction.

_Thud._

"Uh oh."

Naruto stopped suddenly, unease returning to his gut. Whatever that sound had been, it was large. And it came from the tunnel they were just heading towards.

_Thud… thud…_

"Get back." Gaara ordered, as the sand gathered behind him, turning into a platform once more. But Naruto didn't hear him, his eyes and ears were fixed on the hole ahead, his brow creasing in confusion.

"…-eople?" he heard, in a very hushed and distant whisper, "Wh-… -ere… -eople… -ace?"

"There's a voice!" Naruto called, looking back at Gaara. The red haired boy frowned, stepping forward to listen.

"People…" the voice called again, a deep yet hoarse whisper, "Men- no… _children_…"

Now that Gaara heard it, his frown only deepened. The sand behind him moved closer, he was still prepared should the need be. But Naruto was fixed only on the voice, and the shadows up ahead.

Suddenly, something came into view. But it couldn't be the source of the voice, there was no way. From the tunnels ahead, _puppies_ ran out, tongues lolling and tails perked. Naruto and Gaara stared in surprise, these puppies were no doubt the same breed as the dogs that had attacked them earlier, but they were a little different. For one thing, they didn't have the wing-like things the others did, and their teeth were still small. Though they were in no hurry to greet the two strangers, they did watch curiously from a distance. Six small pups, sitting in a line.

"Oh, the young ones have taken an interest." the voice mused, "I wonder, are these meat?"

Naruto and Gaara tensed as they suddenly became aware. All of the holes, all of the tunnels. All possible exits were occupied by the dogs. It was then that Naruto realised all his clones had disappeared, his initial distraction had left that unnoticed. But now that he knew the situation, he knew he had to do something. He stepped forward, Gaara glancing at his back warningly.

"Hey… are you the leader then?" Naruto asked, looking down the tunnel.

"Leader?" the voice repeated, with interest, "…I suppose I _am_."

Naruto swallowed hard, not liking the tone of this _thing's_ voice.

"It's a dog, don't look scared."

Naruto nodded, taking a deep breath. When he was ready, he spoke again.

"All we want is the scroll." he said, "Then we'll leave."

"And how does that benefit us?" the voice asked, with a slightly condescending tone, "You think we will agree to be placed under your beck and call as you please?"

"Yeah, well-" Naruto stammered, unsure of how to deal with this.

"You are trapped in this place." Gaara noted, deciding to help Naruto out.

The voice was silent for a moment, before a long, sweeping sound rang out. From the hole, there appeared the largest dog of all. It stood at roughly twenty feet tall, looking down at Naruto and Gaara through large, black eyes. Its fur was greying, a sign of old age. It left the tunnel and stretched the wings on its back, the largest so far yet still undersized. It turned its head down so to better see the two boys.

"Very intelligent." the giant dog said, "It's been a long time since I've had anyone remotely clever to talk to."

All around them the dogs either barked or whined. But the largest one looked at them all sharply, and they fell silent.

"Since this is the situation, I would like to indulge for as long as possible." the great dog continued, "Though I am known as Daibun, if I recall correctly, human to dog communication requires the title, Inudaibun."

"Sabaku no Gaara." Gaara said, folding his arms.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto added, surprised that this beast knew of things like etiquette. Then again, the whole talking thing was also kind of a surprise, "Why can't you leave?"

"It's a simple case really." Inudaibun replied, looking up to the hole, "Due to my size, I cannot fit through the holes. And should I try to break through that one, the entire place would cave in on top of me and my pups."

"That… doesn't make much sense." Naruto said, his expression making his confusion evident. Inudaibun nodded slowly with patient understanding.

"I can see why you would think that." he said, before looking over the other dogs, "But these pups have been born and raised in these caves. Though they know every inch of this area, and acknowledge it as their territory, they have no wish to leave."

The dogs all whined as they watched their leader lament. They sensed his sadness and felt it themselves, without knowing why.

"The world for them is so big, they fear the open sky and the sun." Inudaibun continued, "And so they have known only these dark, silent caves. They know no speech as I do, and their potential is at its limit."

The six puppies looked up at Inudaibun in confusion, wondering what the giant dog was saying to the strange animals in front of them. Naruto looked at the little pups with a raised brow, before getting an idea.

"What about those guys?" he asked, gesturing to the pups. The little dogs seemed to realise they were being referred to and barked happily.

"They would not survive on their own." Inudaibun replied, looking down at them, "Such a pity."

"Then it appears we have a situation we can both benefit from." Gaara suggested, "If we can grant them passage to a safe place, then you'll give us the contract."

Inudaibun fixed his eyes on Gaara, his brow creasing in an almost incredulous manner. His anger was clear and threatening.

"You think I would entrust them to you?!" he asked, disbelief evident, "Don't be so foolish!"

Naruto looked from the great dog to Gaara, who seemed to be thinking over how to respond. The situation was worsening, just like the other dogs had picked up on their leader's sadness, they now gained his anger.

"Hold on a minute!" Naruto called, looking up at Inudaibun, "All the way through here, we didn't hurt a single one of you. My Kage Bunshin defended themselves, but they didn't give out any injuries. We don't stand to gain anything by hurting you. If the deal is to protect these pups for the scroll, then I'll do it."

Inudaibun regarded Naruto carefully, looking deep into his eyes. He seemed to be transfixed on something, studying carefully.

"Hmm… it seems like you are speaking honestly." he muttered, thinking aloud, "However, I'm not completely certain…"

"Arf!" "Arf!" "Arf!"

All eyes fell down to the pups, each of whom were loudly making their presence known. Inudaibun listened to them closely, his furrowed brow slowly rising.

"Very well then, it seems the decision has been made." he said, looking directly at Naruto, "If you can vow to watch after these pups, and take care of them, then do with them as you wish."

"And the scroll?" Gaara asked, keeping their purpose in mind. Inudaibun looked at him differently than he did Naruto, and spoke in a more formal tone.

"There is no such thing." he replied, "Or rather, it doesn't exist anymore. Over time it became torn, soaked and filthy. The seals have been damaged beyond repair. And in any case, with these six gone there remains none who are fit to leave this place anymore. A scroll would be useless. These pups are the last of my kin to be born, there will be no more."

"What are you saying?" Naruto asked, frowning at the giant dog. Inudaibun's attention returned to him, and with it a slightly softer look.

"There have been no females born for generations." he explained, sombrely, "Each of these young were born of my own flesh, through a Jutsu that only I can use, since none of the others have an affinity for chakra. And so with my death, and those mutts too afraid to leave, this is the last generation who will live here. That is why it is my wish for these pups to leave, so that they, and our race, can survive."

He then fell silent, taking slow and deep breaths. Though in the beginning he had seemed cold and fierce, it looked like that had only been a façade. For whatever reasons, he had given that up rather quickly. Was that perhaps due to his desperation?

"And so, I ask you…" he said, once more fixed on Naruto, "Will you watch after them?"

"Yes." Naruto replied, with a definitive tone, "I'll-"

He suddenly came to a stop as Gaara placed a hand on his arm. He looked back at the red headed boy questioningly, while he was looked at stoically.

"Our mission was to obtain the scroll, not to bring pets in." he said, seriously, "If there is no scroll, there's no reason for us to stay here any-"

Naruto batted his hand away, looking at him defiantly. Gaara's brow rose in surprise, and Inudaibun watched them with a frown.

"You came with me because I told you you'd be a part of genocide." Naruto said, with matching seriousness, "Sorry, but that's not my style. I'm not gonna leave them to die."

"Then what will you do with them?" Gaara asked, his surprise disappearing, "We can't exactly bring six pups into Ame in place of the scroll. Have you thought of that?"

"It'll be my problem." Naruto replied, strongly, "I'll deal with it."

Gaara opened his mouth to retaliate, but then paused. After a moment's consideration, he turned away.

"Fine, do as you like." he said, stepping onto the sand platform, "Just get a move on."

Naruto blinked in surprise. Did he just win an argument with Gaara? That alone was perhaps the most shocking thing to happen today. It left him a little dumbstruck, and it took him several seconds to recover.

"Uh… right." he said, whirling on the spot to face Inudaibun again, "So we got a deal?"

"Very well." the great dog replied, bowing his head. He then lowered himself down to the puppies' level, looking at each of them in turn. The tiny dogs each got to their feet and padded over to their "father", curious as to what was happening. After a moment of quiet exhales and whines, Inudaibun got back to his feet. He looked at Naruto once more, immediately gaining the boy's attention, "A word of warning, not all dogs like to remain in the darkness. Some will use any means at their disposal to see the light again. Keep this in mind, and never succumb to the will of the fox."

Naruto's brow shot up and his jaw dropped at these words. How? How could he have known?

Before he could even ask, Inudaibun swiped his strong tail across the ground. The motion caused the soft ground beneath to scatter, and the water from the stream to pour down it as well. Then he turned around and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the pups to stand at the edge of the new stream and bark loudly after their parent. Naruto looked down at the little pups, they seemed rather distraught from the sudden abandonment. He sighed, realising this was going to be difficult in more ways than one.


	52. The last days of rain

Fairly light hearted chapter, for the most part. Now that I know I'm seperating this into parts, I've kind of been summing things up. It's wierd how a decision like that can have such an effect. Anyway, there isn't much to say, so here you go.

Disclaimer: Anyone else seen the dub for Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood? Al's new voice is just plain strange, it doesn't quite fit, does it?

* * *

**The last days of rain**

"So you failed." Pein said, looking out through the alcove.

"There was no target, so there was no mission." Gaara replied, from his place by the door, "In the end it was a waste of our time."

"I see…" Pein muttered, before turning around, "Then as it is, there's nothing that can be done. You are dismissed."

Gaara nodded, turning around and leaving the room. Naruto remained however, Pein's lingering gaze instructing him to do so.

"I see you both removed the chakra receivers." he noted, looking at Naruto's ears, "Is there a reason for this?"

"They made training harder." Naruto replied, with a shrug, "If I'm gonna get stronger, it'd be better to do it with my own skill, right?"

Pein watched him quietly, considering his words. He then turned away, looking outside to the pouring rain.

"So what happened?" he asked, "I had expected results."

"Whaddaya want me to say?" Naruto countered, scratching his ear, "We did what we could, but those dogs couldn't even stand my flashlight. Without a scroll there wasn't any way to get them out of there."

"Yes, I suppose the situation was outside your abilities." Pein admitted, "Well then I will simply have to find an alternative."

Naruto watched as Pein kept his gaze to the grim world outside. Once more the older Shinobi seemed to be deep in thought, and as usual Naruto couldn't possibly fathom what that was.

"Things are almost wrapped up here, there isn't anything for you to do." Pein said, looking over his shoulder at him, "Kisame-san will be arriving in about a week. I'd advise you get ready for a long trip, his orders are to train you into powerful Shinobi. Please tell Gaara-san this if you see him, since he will be joining you."

"Uh… got it." Naruto nodded, sensing now was the time for him to leave. He turned around and exited the room, while Pein returned to his thoughts.

"You think he knows?"

"It wasn't raining when we got here, so I'm kinda hoping he doesn't." Naruto replied, as he opened the door to the stairwell, "I'm more worried about Kisame-sensei."

"Heh, yeah. Then again, if you tell him you're gonna train them for combat, he might get interested enough to help."

"You think so?" Naruto asked, looking back in surprise.

"Yeah, that or he'll eat them."

Naruto let out an exasperated sigh as he descended the stairs. The journey back had been very troubling. Kirai and Rei both disappeared the night Naruto and Gaara finished their mission, leaving without so much as a goodbye. That had left Naruto wondering just how he was going to look after six puppies on the long trip back to Ame. Still, at least he had managed to get them here alive.

He exited the staircase onto his floor, ready for the barrage of barks he'd quickly gotten tired of in the past week. He reached his door and braced himself, before pushing in.

"Haaaaaaaaa!" called two girls, kneeling in his room.

"Yu-Yuuka-chan?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock, staring at the starry-eyed girl in bewilderment, "What are you doing here?!"

"Hey, I'm here too!" pouted the second girl, a blond who's name Naruto should have remembered.

"Ah, my bad…" Naruto replied, before hesitating, "Emiko-san."

"Sorry about this." Yuuka said, looking back at him, "Rika let herself in, but she gets nervous around dogs so we switched."

"Arf!" yipped one of the pups, seeking attention, which it instantly received.

"Haaaaaaaaa!" the girls cried again, lost to the world once more. Naruto sighed loudly, wondering just what he'd done to deserve situations like these.

His attention was diverted however, when he heard a clattering sound coming from his kitchen. With a sense of rising dread, he stepped past the hyperactive dogs and the two girls lost to world, and lightly pushed open his door.

"Hey… the, uh… distant wanderer returns!" Tadashi Haru announced, waving a cup of ramen around like it was a goblet.

"Heeeey!!!" Kenta and Akihiko cheered, though neither even tried to make it believable. Both of them were also helping themselves to ramen, one of the first things Naruto noticed.

"You just help yourselves to other people's food?" he asked, with tired eyes. Akihiko responded by lifting his cup into the air, staring straight at Naruto.

"Fight you for it." he said, with both a blank and serious look.

"C'mon, you know the saying right?" Haru asked, hooking his arm around Naruto's neck, "An open door invites any guest!"

"My door was open?" Naruto countered, looking up at the taller boy with the same listless look.

"Well… it was after Rika-chan walked in." Haru admitted, flashing a grin with no guilt.

"You guys don't have even a shred of a conscience, do ya?" Naruto asked, wistfully. Akihiko responded with a brandish of his chopsticks.

"We're men, if we spent all our time regretting out actions we'd lose ourselves in the past." he said, before tipping the contents of the cup into his mouths. Naruto, Haru and Kenta all stared at him with creased brows, which he came to notice when he'd finished guzzling, "What?... Don't look at me like that. I'll hit you."

Haru released his grip on Naruto, who shook his head as he stepped back into his bedroom. Yuuka and Emiko were still out of it, three puppies between them were keeping them rather occupied. Naruto took off his cloak and hung it up in the closet, before flopping down on his bed. The noise seemed to surprise the puppies. Their attention was immediately drawn to Naruto and with it, Yuuka and Emiko's.

"So what's up with the visit?" Naruto asked, lying on his side to look at the two girls.

"We didn't know you were gone." Emiko sulked, "We've been looking for you for the past two weeks."

"Huh, what for?" Naruto asked, looking at them in surprise.

"That's a silly question." Yuuka replied, moving to rest her arms and head on Naruto's quilt, "We came to see if you wanted to do something."

"Something fun." Emiko chimed in, taking the same position as Yuuka.

"Yeah, where've you been?" Haru asked, as he stepped into the room, "Out on a mission?"

"What?!" Akihiko exclaimed, barrelling into the room, "That's it, what was the-"

He came to a sudden stop, looking from Naruto to the two girls kneeling close to him. Whatever passed through his mind, he seemed to be jumping to conclusions. He bowed his head and looked at his raised fist.

"Unforgivable." he muttered. His words were left unheard however, as everyone's attention was drawn to Naruto, who was left looking around bewilderedly.

"Where did you go?" Emiko asked, with a curious look, "Was it the place you got the puppies?"

"Uh… I dunno if I should be talking about my missions." Naruto replied, uncertainly. This didn't seem to impress anyone. At least, that's what their expressions told him.

"C'mon, you're not holding out on us are ya?" Haru asked, leaning forward with a suspicious look, "You sure you even went on a mission?"

"He definitely went somewhere." Emiko stated, picking up one of the puppies and holding him out for the others to see, "There isn't a single pet store in Ame that has this kind of puppy."

"You would know." Kenta muttered, rolling his eyes. Emiko didn't hear that though, she was too busy hugging the little dog.

"You can't say anything?" Yuuka asked, a slightly disappointed, yet understanding look. Naruto stared at her for a moment, before grinning broadly.

"Well, since Yuuka-chan asked!" he said, pushing himself to his feet and standing on the bed, "I guess I can't say no!"

Everyone looked up at him in surprise, taken aback by his sudden change in attitude. Their gazes soon lowered however, when Akihiko lunged for his legs and knocked him over.

"THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!" he demanded, wrestling with the struggling Naruto, "I'LL KILL YOU BASTARD!"

"Aki-kun!" Yuuka reproachfully cried, leaping onto the bed and attempting to prise the two struggling boys.

"YOU WANNA TRY IT?!" Naruto yelled back, as he gave as good as he got. The three on lookers watched them with raised brows, before glancing at each other.

"Dog-pile?" Haru suggested, looking at Emiko in particular.

"Don't even think about it." Emiko replied, with a tired expression.

* * * * *

"Actually, there was something else I wanted to tell you." Yuuka said, leaning against the counter.

"What's that?" Naruto asked, as he handed her a drink. The two of them were alone in the kitchen, the others where in the bedroom watching the pups. It seemed that Yuuka had intentionally tried to get Naruto alone, a point he didn't miss.

"Well, I've been talking to father, and Rika…" Yuuka replied, accepting the drink and looking into it, "I've decided to join up at the academy again."

Naruto stared at Yuuka with a raised brow, his lips parted in quiet surprise. Yuuka listened to his silence and looked up, seeing his expression.

"To tell you the truth, I always regretted asking you to help my father." she said, sadly, "Even though father made us leave, I could have done more to help."

"You did more than enough Yuuka-chan." Naruto replied, this time catching her by surprise, "I gotta say, getting chewed up by a salamander wasn't fun. But because of it, I got to know you and Rika-chan better, so I'm glad it happened."

Naruto almost laughed as Yuuka's face reddened with embarrassment. She quickly averted her gaze, looking at the wall to her right.

"Stupid, don't say things like that." she mumbled, bowing her head to hide her cheeks, "I'll just worry."

"Heh heh." Naruto chuckled, setting his own cup down, "Actually, there's something I kinda have to tell you too."

"Huh?" Yuuka exhaled, looking curiously at him. Naruto pressed his palms against the counter and lifted himself up onto it, his eyes on the floor at all times.

"Even though I only just got back, I'll be leaving again in a week." he said, in a quiet voice, my sensei is gonna take Gaara and me out for training."

"Oh?" Yuuka sounded, wondering why he had such a melancholy expression, "You're not excited?"

"Well yeah, I got stronger a whole lot faster when sensei trained me." he replied, with a nod, "But… I'm getting the feeling this trip is gonna last for a long time."

Yuuka placed her cup down on the counter, looking at Naruto seriously.

"How long?" she asked, directly. Naruto looked up at her, her expression gave him a weak smile.

"Well… I think that by the time I get back, if we pass each other in the street, you won't recognise me right away." he said, his smile widening but his mood staying the same.

Yuuka watched him breathlessly, her serious expression fading and turning to one of worry. It looked like she didn't want to believe that, like she didn't want to believe Naruto. But she could see by the look on his face that it was true, and her expression saddened further. Naruto slid back off the counter, stepping around so that he stood in front of her.

"But when I get back, the first thing I'm gonna do is come looking for you." he said, with a more honest smile this time, "I wanna see the ninja you'll become. So why don't we promise to do our best?"

Yuuka continued to look at Naruto that way, even after he said that. But after a few moments of him keeping his smile, she found herself smiling too.

"That sounds so lame." she said, warmly, "But I'll promise. Though, you have to promise something to me too."

"What?" Naruto asked, his brow rising inquisitively. Yuuka's cheeks reddened a little again, but this time she didn't try to hide it.

"Promise that won't be the only reason you look for me." she said, looking him in the eye. Naruto stared in shock at her, the implications leaving his mind numb. She held her gaze, looking embarrassed but determined. In the end, all he could do is grin.

"It's a promise." he said, slipping his hands behind his head and grinning, "Heh heh heh."

"Come on." Yuuka said, slipping past him, "The others will start to talk."

"Sure." Naruto replied. He turned around and followed her as she returned to his room, stepping through and closing the door behind him. He glanced at Akihiko, who was sitting on his bed next to the door, his back against the wall and his arms folded.

"Nice work." the Genin said quietly, "I'll accept you as my rival."

"Eh?" Naruto sounded, his confusion returning. But his attention was soon diverted by Emiko.

"Hey, have you named these little guys yet?" she asked, looking up over her shoulder at him.

"Huh, uh no, not yet." Naruto replied. But he then decided to take initiative, steeping forward and pointing to a random pup while wearing a sagely expression, "Mikaboshi."

For the first time in a while, Naruto got the feeling that everyone in the room was giving him exasperated looks. It was a feeling of nostalgia almost forgotten to him.

"You're new at this, aren't you?" Emiko asked, knowingly.

"How about we each name one?" Haru suggested, from his perch on the edge of the bed.

"Sure, I mean, they are _our_ dogs." Naruto muttered wryly.

"Oh come on, don't be like that!" Yuuka said, with a smile, "It'll be fun!"

Naruto sighed. For some reason, he just couldn't say no to that face.

"You guys bully me, y'know?" he said half-heartedly. All that he received in reply was a round of laughter, which did raise his spirits _a little._

* * * * *

Naruto lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling with his hands supporting his head. Outside the sun was setting, the rain had stopped a while ago. Yuuka and the others left soon after, the two girls literally getting dragged away from the newly named puppies. With Daisuke sleeping on his chest, Koyane next to his head and Shinmaru resting against his left leg, the only ones he didn't know the exact locations of were Hotei, Akira and Kunimei. He was pretty amazed that he had managed to tell the pups apart, though after some instruction from Emiko, he came to notice the slight distinguishing features.

Now with the others gone, things were pretty quiet. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but now that he was on his own he was left wondering what to do. He could hardly think of things like taking the pups out for a walk, that idea still seemed strange to him. He knew he'd probably have to get the basics, leads and bowls and stuff. But the more he thought about it, the more troublesome it seemed. That wasn't even taking into account the fact that he didn't know what Kisame would say.

He knew he was left with limited choices. He had considered maybe giving the pups to trustworthy owners, but in a village like Ame he couldn't be certain that was a good idea. By the sound of things, Emiko spent quite a bit of time in pet stores, for whatever reasons they may be. It seemed that the only choice he could have confidence in was keeping them for now and seeing what he could do later.

"_Maybe I could get Yuuka-chan and Emiko-chan to take care of them."_ he thought, sighing, _"They looked like they were resisting the urge to kidnap them anyway."_

His thoughts were then distracted by a loud knocking on his door. He lifted his head up, startling Daisuke and Koyane into consciousness, with Shinmaru doing the same as Naruto sat up. Each of the pups jumped down onto the floor, running to the door with their brothers as they waited to greet the new visitor. Naruto got to his feet and walked to the door, reaching out to open it. He was taken by surprise however, when the door stuck. For whatever reason, the person on the other side was holding the door closed.

"Don't let them out here!" Rika's voice ordered, a faint hint of nervousness ringing out.

Naruto shook his head, before budging the pups out of the way with his foot. He then cracked the door open and squeezed out, shutting it before he could be followed. He turned around to see Rika standing with her back against the wall, looking at the door warily.

"What's up with that?" Naruto asked, as he leant on the wall next to his door.

"Nothing." Rika replied, before looking at him sharply, "What's this about you leaving huh?!"

"Huh, well… I'm going training." Naruto said, with a raised brow, "Yuuka-chan didn't tell you?"

"Yeah she told me, it just wasn't enough." Rika answered, with an annoyed look, "I don't wanna hear about it second hand."

"So what do you want?" Naruto asked, feeling at a loss.

Rika looked away, dropping her gaze to the floor. She seemed either nervous or embarrassed, in either case she seemed to be looking in any direction that Naruto wasn't in. eventually however she lifted her gaze back to him, her cheeks maybe a shade darker than Yuuka's had been.

"Don't just come looking for Yuuka, ok?" she said, her expression turning to determination. Naruto stared at her, taken aback by her request. He looked in silence, while she grew impatient, "Well?!"

Snapped out of his trance, Naruto blinked rapidly. He realised that Rika was waiting for an answer.

"Heh, I'm pretty lucky." he said, slouching against the wall, "Both Yuuka-chan and Rika-chan like me."

"Wha- shut up!" Rika cried, looking at him reproachfully, "Fine then, forget it! See if I care!"

"Ha ha ha!" Naruto laughed, while Rika scowled, "Yeah I'll come see you too, why wouldn't I?"

Though she was probably glad to hear it, Rika pouted huffily. She folded her arms and bowed her head, but still kept eye contact. The look on her face made Naruto's expression drop, not for the first time he told himself his opinion of the girl before him. And not for the first time, it left him with a distant look on his face that could be picked up on instantly.

"Hey!" Rika exclaimed, snapping her fingers, "Get back here!"

Naruto shook his head, following her command obliviously.

"Sorry." he said, rubbing the side of his head, "What were you saying?"

"Ah… you're hopeless." Rika grumbled, her brow twitching, "Come on."

Naruto followed her with his eyes as she headed for the window, but he didn't follow her himself. When she realised this, she gave him an impatient look.

"Where?" he asked, blankly. Rika palmed her face, groaning.

"You'd think you'd know how this goes by now!" she muttered, grabbing his wrist and pulling him to the window.

* * * * *

"Uh… so… this is what you wanted me for?" Naruto asked, glancing to his right.

"Yep." Rika nodded, glancing to her left. They both looked down at the pile before them, both with unimpressed expressions.

In front of them, in an alley not far from the tower, Kohaku lay slumped on the ground. His chest rose and fell steadily, and with no signs of injuries or smell of alcohol, it looked like exhaustion had taken its toll on him.

"Ah man." Naruto grumbled, as he crouched down. He hooked Kohaku's arm around his shoulder, as Rika did the same on the other side, "Hope these aren't his good clothes."

"Heh." Rika laughed, as the two of them dragged her unconscious father along, his knees hitting the ground, "I don't think he _has_ any other clothes."

"This is gonna take forever." Naruto grumbled, as he held his hands together, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

From a puff of smoke, four clones appeared around the three real people. Rika stepped back as they each lifted Kohaku into the air, with the real Naruto placing the older Shinobi's boots on his shoulders.

"READY, AND… MARCH!" he called, throwing his hand forward. The other Naruto's grunted in reply, all five of them stepping, breathing and grunting in time. Rika walked behind them, watching as her father's head lolled around.

"How is he sleeping through that?" she wondered, looking at him incredulously. She shook her head, before stepping around the identical mass to walk beside the real Naruto, "Do you have to make so much noise?"

"Sorry, I can't hear your gratitude over your complaining." Naruto replied, looking at her dryly, "You wanna take over?"

"Yeah yeah I'm grateful, I'm grateful." Rika said, waving his words away.

"Somehow, that just pisses me off." Naruto murmured, realising that he should have expected something like this.

"What's with the dogs anyway?" Rika asked, quickly changing the subject. This didn't go unnoticed, but he wasn't in the mood for an argument anyway.

"I'm gonna train them." he replied, adjusting his grip on Kohaku, "So they can become ninja dogs."

"Seriously?" Rika asked, looking at him in surprise, "You do realise that's going to take a long time right?"

"Yeah, but it'll be worth it in the end." Naruto agreed, as they turned a corner and began climbing stairs, "It's gonna be awesome!"

"Why does every guy want an army of dogs?" Rika muttered, exasperatedly.

They reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into the residential district where Rika's home was located. The streets were surprisingly empty, there was scarcely a soul wandering the wide roads. It left the place feeling chilly and ominous.

"Where is everybody?" Naruto asked, looking around.

"Are you kidding?" Rika countered, with a cocked brow, "With all the takeover stuff going on a lot of people don't wanna leave their homes. I don't think Ame's ever been this quiet."

"Huh." Naruto sounded, as they reached the right door. Rika came to a stop outside it, turning to face him.

"I- uh…" she hesitated, looking disdainful, "Thanks for this. I'd have been stuck if you didn't help me."

Naruto nearly dropped Kohaku in surprise, and he almost tripped over his own feet. He looked at Rika in disbelief, wondering if maybe Yuuka had taken over.

"Uh… no problem." he replied, "You want me to bring him in?"

"No, I'll take it from here." Rika said, stepping over to her father's sleeping body. The clones behind Naruto turned Kohaku so that he was face down, and gently lowered him onto Rika's back. She took her father's arms and gripped them in her hands, dragging him to the door. But before she disappeared, she looked back at Naruto, "Hey… don't be busy this week, 'k?"

"Ok." Naruto replied, still in a daze. Rika opened the door and dragged her father inside, turning around to look at Naruto once more, before closing the door.

"You're getting pretty popular."

Naruto chuckled, turning away from Rika and Yuuka's home as he made his way back to the tower.

"This is gonna be painful." he muttered, with a smile on his face.

"Yep."

* * * * *

"So you are the guards?" Neji asked, as he leant against the tree he stood upon. Before him, in the shadows of the night, stood four people hidden from view.

"We are the sound four." replied one of the figures, supposedly the leader, "You are Hyuga Neji I suppose?"

"You suppose correctly." Neji said, with a nod, "Though you are a little early, are you not?"

"We're to see what he's made of." replied the rough voice of a girl, "I'm not gonna take any useless piece of trash as our leader without seeing if he's worth a damn."

"Mind your manners." spoke a deeper voice.

"Eat shit."

"My my, what a bunch." Neji muttered, folding his arms and shaking his head, "And here I thought those Genin were irritating."

"What'd you say?" demanded the fourth voice, which sounded the most like a punks after the girl, "Y'know, I kinda wanna see what level you're on myself."

"Believe me, it's above yours." Neji remarked, casting a cool look to the speaker.

"Why you-"

"Enough." commanded the first voice. Neji cast his eyes over to that speaker, the only one he felt was remotely worth listening to, "From what I understand, Uchiha Sasuke is to become the leader, and you the second in command. I apologise, but I must agree with my comrades. We will need to see what you are capable of first."

"Very well." Neji replied, straightening up, "Come at me as you like. But please, don't hold back."

"Like we need you to say that!" the punk yelled, as the four figures leapt from the shadows.

Neji watched them all coolly, his arms unfolding and veins spreading across his temples. He lowered himself into a combat stance, and as they drew nearer, a wide grin slowly spread across his lips.

"Hakke…"


	53. Heading off

Woo! Nearly overdid it with the other side here, canon scenes are so much easier to write. Well, that's not exactly accurate but- eh, you'll see. Just keep in mind. lack of lag makes for faster movement. Plus, as I'm sure many of you will be relieved to hear, this will be the last time Rika and the other OCs will be seen for a while, that or when they do show up, they won't be so hateable. Anyways, here you go!

Disclaimer: By the way, if any of you can come up with some Naruto jokes, I'd like to hear them. I'm not exactly a comedic genius, those ones from before had me brainstorming for ages.

* * *

**Heading off**

Naruto sat on the edge of his bed, his satchel resting between his feet. It was around midday, the sunlight shone clearly through the open window. He wasn't sure who the culprit had been, but there was a damp, smelly patch on the carpet. As such, the window had been open for most of the night.

After a long and full week involving many surprise visits from Haru and the others, the day had finally come; it was time to leave.

Koyane and the other pups all sat around him in a half circle, looking up at him curiously. They seemed to be more of an inquisitive bunch than energetic, though when the spotlight was on them they certainly went all out.

A knock on the door stirred Naruto's senses. He looked up at the wooden barrier, wondering if this was the person he'd been waiting for.

"Hey runt, you ready?" called a voice. Naruto smiled, Kisame had finally arrived.

"Yeah, I'll be with you in a sec." he replied, grabbing the six brand new leashes Emiko had helped him buy.

He knelt down onto the ground and attached the chains to the pups' new red collars, holding all of the leather grips in one hand. He then slung the full satchel over his shoulder, before heading to the door. He reached out for the handle and pulled it open, already raising his head to greet the person on the other side.

"Come on, let's-" Kisame began, before his eyes lowered to the pups. He stared at them for five whole seconds, before looking back up at Naruto, "Dogs?"

"Ninken." Naruto replied, with a grin. Kisame grumbled to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You better have brought enough money for them." he said, "I'm not taking care of them."

"Sure thing." Naruto nodded, glad of the outcome. He'd been prepared for much worse, so he was a little thrown. But his finances had been updated recently, so he wasn't exactly strapped for cash.

"Hrmph, come on then." Kisame said, jerking his head away. Naruto followed him, closing the door once all the pups were out. Each of the little dogs were giving Kisame a look of wonder, completely ignoring Naruto as they found someone else of interest. They walked down towards Gaara's door, when Kisame looked over his shoulder, "So what's this guy like?"

"Know the orange haired guy upstairs? Shove a punch of poison ivy up his ass and you're pretty close."

"Heh heh." Kisame chuckled, looking forward, "Is that so?"

Naruto tried not to input, but he had to admit it wasn't an inaccurate comparison. He kept his mouth shut as they reached the door, and Kisame knocked on it hard.

"Hey, get a move on!" he called, impatiently. Naruto watched him with a cocked brow, was he trying to make an impression or something? He couldn't say that sounded like an effective idea, not when it came to Gaara.

The door slowly opened, the boy in question slowly raised his eyes as he looked at Kisame. His cold stare was met with a naturally cruel grin, as Kisame leant on the door frame."

"So you're runt number two huh?" he mused, looking him up and down, "Heh, nice expression. Come on, we're leaving."

Gaara stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. Like Naruto, he had a fully packed bag. The difference was, he had a carrying case slung over his shoulder, since the gourd kept him from carrying anything else on his back.

Kisame stepped over to the window, sliding it open and leaning out. He looked back at Naruto and Gaara, slinging his leg through the open space.

"Unless you wanna hang those mutts, take the stairs." Kisame said, directing at Naruto, "Catch up with us."

Naruto chuckled at Kisame's order, earning a glance from both the other Shinobi.

"No need!" he replied, as he threw his cloak open, "I got it covered!"

Along with the belt that tied Eko to his back, there were two new straps wrapped around his chest. Each of these straps had three sizeable pouches attached, big enough to fit a small puppy in each one.

"Wow… you're taking this ninken thing pretty seriously, aren't ya?" Kisame asked, with a tired look. Naruto chuckled again, before he began scooping the pups up in his arms, "Whatever, hurry up."

With that he dropped out of the window, Gaara following him moments after. Naruto took a while longer as he picked each pup up and secured them in a pouch. It was a task easier said than done, the little dogs had decided now was a good time to be squirmy. But with only slight forcefulness he managed to get them in, and stay there. The added weight was considerable, but he managed to get back to his feet and over to the window without too much difficulty.

"Alright, hang on guys." he said, as he lifted himself to a perching position. Then, after counting to three, he dropped out the window.

Keeping his foot touching the wall, he slid down the face of the building. He didn't want to throw the pups around too much, and so kept as steady as possible. All the while the restrained dogs yelped away, either out of fear or excitement, Naruto couldn't tell. He just hoped none of them decided to empty their systems on the way down, he didn't want to spend the rest of the day reeking of urine.

Kisame and Gaara had both already reached the ground, the two of them looking up as Naruto descended towards them. He slid further down, jumping and readjusting because of the many ledges and other such protrusions. Eventually though, he reached the bottom of the tower, landing next to the two strange looking Shinobi.

"Took your damn time." Kisame grunted, turning and heading down the steps.

As they walked, Naruto let the pups out and took hold of their leashes again. They seemed to be elated to be on the ground, their heads held high and noses to the air. People stopped to look at the three ninja as they passed by, each as strange as the next. A tall man with pale blue skin, a stoic boy with a giant gourd and a blond kid with lines on his face and six puppies. They must have looked like a circus act.

"You been keeping up with your training?" Kisame asked, glancing back at the dog walking idiot.

"Yeah, whenever I can." Naruto replied truthfully. He'd taken to doing basic exercises each morning, something he ought to have done regardless.

"Well, I'll find out soon enough." Kisame said, before looking at Gaara, "What about you? I'm gonna need to see what you can do."

"Later." was Gaara's plain reply. Kisame shook his head.

"Just like that guy." he muttered, before looking ahead again.

They passed through the dirty streets of Ame, where the pups' enthusiasm seemed to wither slightly. Naruto could see why, it was hardly a basket of roses here.

"_Why does Kisame-sensei always pick the shittiest streets to walk through?"_ he wondered, slowing down as the pups traversed an iron grill on the ground.

Kisame led them through the dark and dismal areas as they made their way to the gates. Naruto found his eyes wandering around, and recalled the time when Gaara had thrown him from the tower.

"_Oh yeah…"_ he thought, suddenly narrowing his eyes at Gaara's back, _"Did I ever get him back for that?"_

"What?" Gaara asked, looking back.

"Nothing." Naruto replied, without dropping his look, _"Bastard."_

* * * * *

"I can do it you know." Orochimaru said, his sinister smile present as always, "In exchange for that, you can see _them_ again."

He leered from the shadows of the wall in which he stood in front of, watching Tsunade and Shizune with a knowing expression. Beside him stood his attendant, a young man with long grey hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore a smirk not unlike his master's, the light glistening off his round spectacles. He lightly ran his fingers around the wide collar of his purple shirt, showing cruel enthusiasm for the two women before him.

"It's hardly an offer you can expect regularly." he said, enticingly, "And it's hardly a costly one at that."

"Shut up you bastard!" Shizune yelled, before looking at the blonde to her right, "Tsunade-sama, you know you can't agree to this!"

Tsunade didn't respond however, her eyes were fixed on Orochimaru. Though the sun shone on her, her hair caused her eyes to be darkened by shadow. She didn't make a sound, not even a breath to pass over the breeze. All that there was, was her form, a silhouette set across the broken wall behind her. Despite her hidden features, Orochimaru could tell what she was thinking like she had told him herself.

"Of course, there's no need for an answer right away." he said, as coolly as ever, "I will give you some time to-"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Four heads collectively whipped in the same direction, eight eyes falling upon the figure standing in the street. With folded arms and a stony expression, there was no confusing the seriousness this person exuded.

"J-Jiraiya!" Tsunade exclaimed, "What are you doing here?!"

"Call it nostalgia." Jiraiya replied, his light hearted words contradicted by his tone, "I'd say I wasn't expecting a full reunion, but that wouldn't be quite accurate, eh Orochimaru?"

"What does he mean?" Tsunade demanded, turning her gaze to the white face man.

"Oh, he's probably talking about the late Sarutobi-sensei." Orochimaru replied, his casual tone contradicted by his annoyed expression, "I'm afraid there was a situation, I wound up killing the old fool."

"What?!" Tsunade exclaimed in shock, "You… _killed_ Sarutobi-sensei?!"

"Please don't ask me to repeat myself." Orochimaru replied, "It's bad enough that you did it yourself."

Shizune stared in horror at the evil Shinobi while her master bit her lip. Jiraiya's arms unfolded as he sensed rising killer intent.

"So Jiraiya, what are you really doing here?" Tsunade asked, her fingers curling into fists.

"Konoha needs a new Hokage." Jiraiya replied, even though he knew this wasn't the time for such a talk. Orochimaru looked at him, his sickly face shining with glee. He turned back to Tsunade, awaiting her response.

"So… you're asking _me_?" she asked, with clear disbelief, "That's ridiculous."

"The village needs you." said Jiraiya, simply. Orochimaru's attendant looked over the people before him with relaxed interest, showing surprisingly greater composure than his master.

"My my, it looks like this won't be as easy as you thought, Orochimaru-sama." he said, turning his head to look at the Sannin.

"You may be right." Orochimaru agreed, without losing any of his enjoyment, "However, dear Tsunade already severed all her ties to that village. She is under no obligation to do anything. And besides, that won't get her what she wants."

Jiraiya noticed Tsunade tensed, and he was hit with a feeling of unease. He had only just arrived, and didn't know the situation himself. But from the look of things, Orochimaru had offered Tsunade something that would tempt her to help him out. Of course, one look at his blackened arms was enough to tell what his own agenda was, but what could he have that Tsunade could possibly want?

"_Unless…"_ he thought, as he recalled what he'd been told about the battle between Orochimaru and the Sandaime Hokage, _"It couldn't be-"_

"Damn it!" Shizune cursed, jumping between Tsunade and Orochimaru, "DIE!"

She whipped back the sleeve of her kimono, revealing a device attached to her wrist consisting of several tubes and connected wires. She pulled the wires back as far as they'd go before releasing them, sending five senbon flying straight for the snake. But each of the senbon were blocked in a flicker, Orochimaru's assistant deflected them with a curved kunai.

"Good boy Kabuto-kun." Orochimaru praised. Though it seemed he said it merely for the sake of it, he had shown no signs of concern in the first place.

"Shizune!" Tsunade exclaimed, glaring at her attendant, "Stand down!"

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune gasped, looking back, "You can't accept their offer!"

"It's hardly the job of the attendant to tell their master what they can or can't do." Kabuto said, his kunai still at the ready, "You're pretty presumptuous, aren't you?"

"That will do Kabuto-kun." Orochimaru said, looking over his assistant's shoulder.

"As you wish." Kabuto replied, lowering his weapon and stepping back. Shizune begrudgingly did the same, glaring at the two in front of her.

The five ninja stood silently, everyone's eyes on Tsunade. They each awaited her response with waning patience, Jiraiya and Shizune feeling unease while Kabuto grew annoyed and Orochimaru winced in pain. The blonde woman appeared to be lost in her thoughts again, her brow creased in concentration.

"Fine." she said, as she began stepping forward.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune cried, as Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. On the other side, Orochimaru's smile widened as he stepped forward, "I'll do it."

* * * * *

Up ahead, Naruto could see the exit to Ame. A fortified gate stood between the village and the bridge leading to the outside world. It was well guarded, especially during this time.

"How are we supposed to get through?" Naruto asked, looking over the guards. They had been careful before when Naruto and Gaara came and went, but this was a different case entirely.

"It'll be fine." Kisame replied, his tone mimicking his relaxed face.

"Yeah, look."

Though he was already looking, Naruto did as Eko said and looked closer. It took him a few moments to recognised one of the guards. But when he did, he couldn't help but grin.

Right next to the gate, on an old wooden chair, Jirou slouched lazily. He looked off to the distant world outside the village his eyes half closed in a bored expression. It took a nudge from one of the other guards to get him to direct his eyes inwards, but when he saw Naruto and Gaara his expression shifted to a grin that matched Naruto's.

"Hey Jirou-san!" Naruto called, waving his hand in the air. Jirou raised his hands to his mouth to call back.

"Yo Naruto-chan!" he said teasingly, "What's with the pups, you finally get a D-rank little Genin?"

"Shaddap!" Naruto yelled, turning his waving hand into a shaking fist. Kisame and Gaara both glanced at the loudmouth next to them, before simultaneously sighing.

They reached the gate, where they stopped to allow the guards to do their job. Jirou however, made sure to be the one to check their papers, though Naruto could see the glassy look in his eyes suggesting he wasn't studying the forms very hard. He handed the papers back to Kisame, before signalling to the others to open the gate.

"Good luck kid." he said, giving Naruto a thumbs up, "Try not to get eaten again, alright?"

"Heh, I won't." Naruto replied, as he passed by, "Try not to get killed by Haruka-san!"

"Ha ha… I'll try." Jirou laughed, though his expression soon faded as he experienced a flashback of some kind. The shiver was enough to tell Naruto he didn't want to know.

They passed through the open gate and onto the long, steel bridge which took them out to the vast and empty land outside. The pups seemed almost exasperated as once more they were forced to navigate their way across the metal grills, and since they could see how far they'd have to walk under such conditions, it was easy to feel sorry for them.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder, looking through the still open gates to the street they'd passed through. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a slight sense of loss. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but he did feel guilty about not being able to give Rika and Yuuka a proper goodbye. Despite the former's attitude, the other sister had confided in him; neither really wanted him to go.

He kept his eyes on the street for only a few seconds longer, before turning his head with a small smile.

"_See ya later."_ he thought, as he picked up the pace to catch up with Kisame and Gaara, the pups barking at him reproachfully.

"Ah!" he grumbled, as the little dogs tugged on the lead, "Come on!"

He gave the leads a light tug, which persuaded the pups to move forward. Though their whines of complaint made him feel guilty, he couldn't just stop to put them back in the pouches, that would only waste time and probably spoil them. So he had them walk, despite their unease.

"Hey runt." Kisame said, looking back and reaching with his hand, "Lemme see the Ekokaeten."

Naruto glanced at Kisame, wondering why he referred to Eko by his full name. But then he remembered Gaara, and soon stopped wondering. It seemed Kisame was serious when it came to protecting certain secrets.

He did as was told, lifting his free hand to the sheath on his back. He gripped it and pressed the tsuba up with his thumb, pushing out the habaki that would usually hold the blade in place. He then took hold of the hilt and drew Eko out, turning the blade and handing it to Kisame.

"Hmm… looks like its been maintained." the ex-Kiri nin muttered, "Been to a weapons shop have you?"

A slight grin grew on his face, Naruto had an idea that Eko was feeling quite warm right now.

He looked the blade over a couple of times, raising it the light and lowering it to the shade. He had a contemplative look that was rare for a person like him. In the end, he grunted, handing the blade back to Naruto.

"Looks like you've been busy." he noted, "That's good, things will go smoother that way."

"What'll go smoother?" Naruto asked, as he slid Eko back in place.

"There are some things that can only be learned when the blade is ready." Kisame replied. His words would be cryptic to most, but Naruto realised what he was saying.

"_So… Eko-kun can do more?"_ he thought, glancing at the blade. He got the feeling Eko was thinking the same thing, he sensed surprise coming from the blade.

"What is the meaning of this journey?" Gaara asked, looking up at Kisame plainly. The blue faced Shinobi chuckled through his teeth, returning Gaara's look.

"Leader-sama has ordered me to train you two." he replied, "Due to my chakra levels, it looks like I'm the best person for teaching you Jinchuriki."

"Training?" Gaara repeated, with a cocked brow, "Why would we need to travel for that?"

"Uh… desert Shinobi are annoying." Kisame grumbled, rubbing his eyes with his hands, "Look at it this way, Shinobi from Suna are best known for their skills with Futon Jutsu, Kugutsu no Jutsu and survival in the desert, right?"

"Right." Gaara nodded.

"Well think about this." Kisame continued, raising his finger pointedly, "Futon Jutsu is the only Jutsu that can be safely used in the desert, since Katon and Suiton would dehydrate the user, Doton couldn't be used and Raiton could cause a shift in the dunes that could crush you. Meanwhile, Kugutsu no Jutsu can be used as a means for fighting in a sandstorm without losing your way. So it would be accurate to say that Suna teachings specialise in fighting in the desert, right?"

"What's your point?" Gaara asked, bored by this obvious revelation.

"My point is, you're not in the desert anymore." Kisame answered, looking the ex-Suna nin in the eyes. Gaara's other brow rose, he looked surprised, seeing Kisame's logic, "We travel so that you can learn to fight in any climate without gaining a disadvantage. Hell, by the time we're done you'll be able to defeat even Suiton users."

Naruto and Gaara both fixed their eyes on Kisame's, both intrigued by this prospect.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked, the speed of his speech betraying his composure. Kisame replied by jerking his thumb over his shoulder to Naruto.

"Since you're from Suna, chances are like this idiot you've got a Futon affinity." he said, not even acknowledging Naruto's look of disdain, "You use that with your sand and the water won't even be able to touch it."

"Wow, that sounds pretty- YAAH!" Naruto exclaimed, as the pups suddenly dashed off the bridge and onto smooth rock. Naruto fell flat on his face, slipping on the wet ground, "Damn dogs!!!"

"Still a complete moron." Kisame murmured, trying his best to ignore the raging blond chasing after the puppies, whose leashes he'd dropped on his fall.

"Damn it!" Naruto grunted, as the pups split off in several directions. He ran after them, managing to collect the leashes one at a time.

Once he finally caught the pups again, he looked around for Kisame and Gaara. Both of them had made some headway, he needed to jog to catch up with them. It was too bad then, that he didn't look back. For if he did, he would have spotted Yuuka at the gates, her hands on her knees as she panted heavily.

"Na-Naruto-kun!" she gasped, her voice barely reaching the guards watching her, never mind the blond boy up ahead, "Haa… Haa…"

* * * * *

"Haa… haa…" Shizune panted, her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. She looked at the spot where both Orochimaru and Kabuto had been moments before, but was now void of either.

After a few more breaths, she straightened up, placing her hand on her aching side as she looked around for the others. In the wide open plain they now stood in, that wasn't a difficult task. Several yards from her position, Jiraiya stood on the edge of a crater. He looked down to the kneeling Tsunade, who was wearing his own forehead protector as a blindfold. She gripped both of her arms and had her head bowed, silently shaking. Jiraiya watched her sympathetically, before crouching down in front of her.

"It's over." he said, lifting his headband from her eyes, "They got away."

Tsunade didn't reply. Even though her eyes were no longer obscured, they still didn't see anything. He realised this and sighed, placing his hand on his shoulder and squeezing his aching muscles.

"I didn't think it'd be this bad." he muttered, noticing Shizune draw near, "Help me out here will ya?"

"I'm… fine." Tsunade said, her vision returning. She placed her hand on the ground and began to push herself up. Her nerves got the better of her though, and she slipped. Fortunately Jiraiya was able to grab her by the arms before she could hit the ground.

"Come on, let's go get something to drink." he said, helping her to her feet, "We'll talk then."

He blinked in surprise when Tsunade suddenly pushed herself away from him. She staggered off to the left, where Shizune supported her.

"Don't bother." she said, wincing from her wounds, "You _know_ I can't be Hokage."

"Tsunade, you're the only one who can be Hokage." Jiraiya replied, seriously, "If not you, then who else?"

Tsunade didn't answer, nor did she look at Jiraiya. Shizune looked at her lady with concern, knowing what she was thinking, what she was reliving.

"I know it must hurt." Jiraiya said, his tone brushed with sympathy, "But you really are the only one. Don't pretend you don't care about the village. They cared. If you walk away now, what will you say when you finally meet them again?"

Tsunade, who had begun walking away, came to a sudden stop. She had her back to Jiraiya, and to the sunlight. Her shadowed face was screwed up as she fought back tears, biting her lip until it almost bled.

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune said, soothingly. Tsunade looked at her assistant, at her late lover's niece, before dropping her gaze again. she tried to take deep breaths, but every time she did she shuddered, her voice cracking despite her lack of speech.

"I hate you Jiraiya." she said, managing to at least get that much out, "I really do."

"That's fine." Jiraiya replied, placing his hand on her shoulder, "Hate me all you like."

Tsunade recoiled under his touch, but didn't move away. Jiraiya, Shizune, even she herself knew that deep down she didn't mean that. And just like they knew, she knew what she needed to do.

She turned around to face Jiraiya, who looked at her understandingly. Before he could even predict what she was going to do, her hand snapped out and grabbed at his pouch. She pulled out a kunai and before anyone could stop her, she stabbed her hand with the point.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune cried, batting the kunai away. Tsunade didn't hear her however, her eyes were fixed on the blood pouring from her hand. Jiraiya and Shizune watched her warily, in case she broke down. But after several moments of ragged breathing, she closed her eyes and clenched her injured fist.

"Let's go." she said. Amazingly, her voice was only a little shaken. She dropped her hand to her side, a faint green glow emitting around the wound. She began walking forward, towards town, on her own. But soon Shizune followed, with an amazed Jiraiya in tow.

"Tsunade-sama, are you sure about this?" Shizune asked, looking with concern.

"Yes." Tsunade replied, her brow creased, "As much as I hate it, Jiraiya's right."

Jiraiya smirked as he tied his forehead protector back in place. It looked like he had succeeded, though he hadn't doubted the eventual outcome. Well, maybe for a moment.

"Besides, there's something else I need to talk to you about." Tsunade added, looking over her shoulder to Jiraiya, "It's about the Yondaime's kid."


	54. Following the path

Man, I was WAY too lazy when it came to this chapter. Just a line here and there between unbelievably long chapters of Future Diary. Anything with a yandere in it immediately rises in the awesome-o-metre. Little bit of warning, because of change in the way canon works here, the progression of time will also be affected. Hence the Sound Four showing up before Tsunade.

Disclaimer: Is there anyone, ANYONE, who remembers Thundercats?!

* * *

**Following the path**

Hoshigake Kisame stood in the midst of the trees, his hand gripping the hilt of the giant Samehada. He looked around the fading woods, the first signs of autumn were beginning to show. The dawn sunlight shone down on the browning leaves, giving the already warm atmosphere a heated glow.

He raised his hand and swished it through the air, lightly knocking Naruto's slash away. He wore a casual grin as he listened to the first falling leaves, the light scrape against the bark and the rustle as they touched their brethren. It was quite a sight, very peaceful.

He turned Samehada slightly, so it covered his left side. Small mounds of sand struck it, scattering on the white wrappings as the chakra left them. He cast his eyes over the little pups jumping into the piles of leaves, they seemed so at ease, he couldn't help but feel a slight envy.

"Ah, what a nice afternoon." he sighed, with a content look, as he knocked Naruto's kick aside.

"Damn it Danna, you wanna try taking this seriously?!"

"Very well." Kisame replied, in the same tone. He slipped his hand back and caught Naruto in the chest, slamming him into a tree, "Actually, nah."

"Gagh!" Naruto grunted, as his back struck the tree. He slid down onto his knees, wincing in pain, "Ouch…"

"Damn it!"

"Don't even think about it." Kisame said, shaking his finger at Eko.

"What is it?" Naruto asked quietly, glancing at the blade in his hand.

"Kisame no Danna knew I was gonna do. Looks like the training wheels are coming off."

Naruto looked from the blade to Kisame, who was idly viewing the sky. So Eko would no longer take control huh? He didn't exactly mind that, it was always worrying when his body moved involuntarily. However, it was also a safety net he couldn't rely on anymore. That meant he would need to try harder.

"Alright then, lets go." he said, planting his hand on the ground and kicking off to a dash.

Kisame glanced at him as he drew nearer, as cool and composed as ever. But when Naruto threw Eko high above Kisame, his brow cocked in interest. He watched as Naruto leapt into the air, clasping his hands together.

"Ah." Kisame sounded, as he realised what was going on. He raised Samehada defensively, creating a wall between him and Naruto's Jutsu. The blast of wind resounded, but he felt no impact. It wasn't until he heard a jingling sound overhead that he discovered Naruto had used the Jutsu to heighten his jump. He watched in surprise, bringing Samehada over as Naruto grabbed Eko's hilt and slashed downwards.

_Clang!_

The two blades met in the air, sparks flying from the impact. Shreds of the wrappings around Samehada were cut, floating down to the ground. Naruto landed on the ground, the two blades still touching. He made sure to push up with Eko, hooking the katana into the scales of the larger blade, gripping it in place. Kisame grinned down at Naruto, an impressed look, but no signs of strain.

"At least you're using your head." he complimented, "But you'll need more than that."

He cocked a brow again though, curious about Naruto's grin. He noticed the boy's eyes flicker past him, and he whipped his head around. He was just in time to see more bullets of sand firing at him from the trees, four flying darts.

"Not bad." he commended, as he raised his free hand in a single seal. His cheeks then seemed to bulge, and he spat out four globules of water, each of a slightly greater size than the sand bullets. They collided in the air, the water bursting onto the sand, and scattered uselessly, "Nice teamwork."

He lifted Samehada into the air, dislodging it from Eko's hold. He slipped it back onto his back, Samehada using its chakra to keep itself in place.

"That's enough exercise." he said, looking from Naruto to the shadow obscured Gaara, "We'll take care of your training as we move."

Naruto slid Eko back into his hilt as Kisame turned away, and Gaara stepped out from the trees. The two of them waited as Naruto took the leashes from his waist and headed for the pups.

"You shouldn't keep those there by the way." Kisame said, "Those were what gave you away."

"Huh?" Naruto called, before looking down at the chains, "Oh, I guess these were a bad choice huh?"

"More than a little." Kisame replied, as he and Gaara began to move away.

"Hey, wait up!" Naruto shouted, looking back at them as he hastily reached out for one of the pups.

_Chomp._

"SON OF A-" Naruto yelled, as he pulled his hand back from Hotei, who had given him a harsh nip. The other pups barked excitedly, thinking they were going to get chased. They ran off, causing Naruto to stumble after them, "Aw come on!"

"Still a fool I see." Kisame muttered, as he headed through the trees.

"Yeah." Gaara agreed, folding his arms.

Eventually Naruto managed to get the pups leashed, though not before giving Hotei his punishment. A small brown bag was tied around the pups collar, holding a weight that made the little dog bow his head. It was something Naruto came up with on the fly, keeping the pups in check without hurting them. It seemed to be working, Hotei wasn't quite so chipper now.

"Eh, where'd they go?" Naruto wondered, looking around the trees. Unfortunately, they had been passing through an area of the forest which had no path or road on it, and so no obvious way of figuring out which way the other two had gone., "Great…"

As he walked, the pups quickly overtook him, urging him to move faster. It wasn't a desire he would indulge them in though, he was too busy trying to find his companions.

"Man, why does it feel weird to think of them like that?" he muttered, before looking down at the pups, "Hey, can't you sniff them out or something?"

"Arf!"

Naruto raised his brow in surprise as Koyane looked back at him. The little dog had wandered away from the others, and was tugging almost pointedly. The other pups looked at him, and then began to follow.

"Huh?" Naruto muttered, as all six pups pulled in the same direction. Koyane looked back at him again, before barking once more, "What is it?"

He turned a little to the left, humouring the pups by following him. Though they were all heading in the same direction, it seemed more like they were following Koyane than heading anywhere particular. It didn't take long for Naruto to realise this, but it did require some thought on his part as to why they were doing that.

"_So… I guess he's the leader huh?"_ he thought, looking up ahead, "Gwah?!"

He couldn't explain it, but somehow, incredibly, the pups had managed to lead him to what appeared to be the back of a food bar. Now he was close enough, he could catch the scent of beef rising in vapours from the diner, the obvious motive for the pups' actions.

"Damn it!" he cursed, glaring at the pups in annoyance, "Like I got time for this!"

"Quit yelling idiot!" called Kisame's voice.

"Huh?" Naruto sounded, as he raised his head. Kisame was leaning out from the side of the bar, looking at him with tired eyes. Naruto cast his own gaze back down at the pups, who were looking up at him curiously, "Uh… good job?"

"Arf!"

Naruto stepped around the pups, walking around the side of the bar. It was there that he saw Kisame and Gaara sitting on stools, each eating some sort of stew broth. Naruto glanced up at the elderly chef, who was watching him with a peaceful look.

"You sitting down or what?" Kisame asked, without looking up from his bowl, "We're not stopping till noon, so get your fill while you can."

"Oh, uh, ok." Naruto replied, before stepping past Gaara and crouching by the third of four empty stools. Since each one was bolted to the ground, he crouched down and tied the leashes around one of the metal legs. He then sat down, looking again as the old man stood before him.

"What're yeh havin?" the old man asked, as relaxed as before.

"Uh, I'll just have what they're having-" Naruto began.

"Arf!"

"-and a plate of beef." he finished.

The old man nodded, turning around and setting to work ladling the ready made stew into a bowl. Once that was done he grabbed a plate and chopped up some steak, handing both to Naruto.

"Thanks." Naruto said, leaning back as he placed the plate down amongst the pups. He was almost bitten again as the little rascals dove in. He sat back up and took a spoon from the tray in front of him, digging in himself, "So where are we?"

"It's just a pit-stop village." Kisame replied, between mouthfuls, "A bar here and there, a couple of stores and an inn."

"Oh." Naruto muttered, as he began to eat his stew, "Where are we going?"

"Around." Kisame replied, with a shrug. Naruto hid his sigh with a slurp from his dish, it looked like Kisame was in an unusually mellow mood today. Not that that was a bad thing, it certainly made training easier on him. But it made things a whole lot less exciting as well.

He listened to the sounds of the pups tearing the meat apart as he ate, taking in the strong beef flavour of his meal. He glanced over to Gaara and Kisame, the former was already on his second bowl while the latter was on his third.

"Should I brew up some more?" the old man asked, as he begun to get an idea about this group.

"Be a good idea." Kisame replied, as he drained his third and motioned for a fourth. As he waited, he turned in his seat to look at Naruto, "Hey, be a good boy and show this guy how to learn Futon will ya?"

"Huh, you want me to do it?" Naruto asked, looking at Kisame with his spoon halfway to his mouth, "I thought we were gonna go see Naomi-chan again."

"Nah, those two disappeared." Kisame said, as he took his next helping. Naruto dropped his spoon, leaning on the table as he looked at his sensei incredulously.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "Disappeared?!"

"Move." Gaara said, pushing Naruto back onto his seat. He seemed to show no interest in the situation, only on that which lay before him.

"You think after our little run-in it'd be safe to stay there?" Kisame asked, with a cocked brow, "Nah, they're looking for somewhere else to stay."

Naruto sat back, a look of relief on his face. He had misinterpreted what Kisame had meant by "disappeared", and was glad of it.

"Still, I guess it'll be good for Aiko-chan." Kisame continued, as he stirred his broth, "Get off that hill, ya know?"

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, as he looked into his bowl with a smile. It was a pity though, he'd kind of been looking forward to the idea of visiting them again. but now that he thought about it, since he knew what to do there wouldn't be that much of a difference.

"More." Gaara said, lifting his empty bowl to the cook.

"Right you are sir." the old man replied, smiling weakly and taking the bowl. Naruto made the same look, there was _one_ key difference after all.

* * * * *

Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune sat in a booth in the corner of a bar, each with full drinks before them. Jiraiya sat opposite the two women, his arms propped on the table and his fingers intertwined before his face. Tsunade and Shizune looked at him, the former with a frown and the other with slight worry. In Shizune's arms, a pig wearing a pearl necklace and red waistcoat by the name of Tonton rested contentedly.

"So he was affiliated with Ame, though from the looks of things it was only a little while." Jiraiya muttered, his creased brow showing his attention not to be on anything close by, "He was then seen in Kusa no Kuni, though his purpose was unclear…"

"I thought he was just a kid playing at ninja." Shizune mumbled, with poignant embarrassment, "I figured that katana he had was a toy too."

"Whatever he's doing, he's not travelling alone." Jiraiya said, more to himself than the others, "And he may be affiliated with those two…"

"Those two?" Tsunade asked, resting her arm on the table.

"Hoshigake Kisame, and Uchiha Itachi." Jiraiya replied, his eyes flickering to his old team mate.

"Uchiha Itachi?" Tsunade repeated, her frown deepening, "Didn't all the Uchiha die?"

"No, there were two survivors, Uchihas Itachi and Sasuke." Jiraiya replied, his gaze dropping for a moment, "It was Uchiha Itachi who wiped out his clan."

"Really?" Tsunade muttered, raising her little cup to her lips, "That's a surprise. I always wondered what happened with them."

"And if what I hear is right, he joined up with a group called Akatsuki." Jiraiya added, "… It's the group Orochimaru joined."

"You think there's a connection between the two?" Tsunade asked, as Shizune refilled her cup.

"The whole reason Orochimaru came to Konoha was for Uchiha Sasuke." Jiraiya replied, "The invasion, killing the Sandaime, those were just to kill time."

Tsunade's fist clenched and her jaw tightened. Shizune's hand twitched, she nearly spilled sake on the counter. All the while the little pig looked around, before bowing her head.

"Oink." she said, her tone describing the mood perfectly. Shizune placed the jug back on the counter, sitting back and holding Tonton close to her chest. She fixed her eyes on the table for a few moments, her expression troubled. But then she looked up again, first at Tsunade, then Jiraiya.

"I don't really know the full details concerning Orochimaru." she said, uncertainly, "Why would he want Uchiha Sasuke?"

"You saw him, didn't you?" Jiraiya asked, sitting back and resting his arm across the back of the seat, "Looked pretty spry for a man in his fifties. Though considering the condition he was in, it doesn't seem likely he was using a Henge like a certain someone."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Tsunade said irritably, as she lowered her cup, "At the moment my biggest concern is the village. How bad is it?"

"I'm not gonna lie to you, it's bad." Jiraiya answered, resting his other arm on the seat as well, "When I left, they were still identifying bodies, both ally and enemy."

"Great." Tsunade grumbled, rubbing her face with the heel of her palms, "For such a sneaky bastard, he sure does like to make an entrance, doesn't he?"

"Say something like that when there aren't any dead civilians." Jiraiya said, his expression and tone showing evident distaste, "You have a responsibility now."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a kid." Tsunade sharply replied, "Especially when you turned down this job yourself."

"It couldn't be helped." Jiraiya sighed, squeezing his neck, "Even though Orochimaru left Akatsuki… I can't afford to take my eyes off them."

Tsunade fell silent, staring angrily at her cup. Jiraiya looked up at the ceiling, his eyes distant and cold. Shizune and Tonton looked between the two concernedly, not completely sure of the situation themselves.

"Oink…"

* * * * *

With their stomachs full and their wallets lighter, Naruto, with the pups, walked close to Gaara and Kisame as they made their way alongside a steep hill rested in shadows. It was still early enough that the sunlight didn't quite break over the peak of the hill, though the shade was slowly reclining. Naruto walked with his hands resting behind his head, as Gaara clasped a leaf in his hands. His brow was furrowed deeply as he glared at the small green piece of nature in his grip, looking like he was praying angrily. Kisame was speculating aloud, coming up with ideas for Naruto's training while Gaara was preoccupied.

"Taijutsu, Ninjutsu or Kenjutsu?" he wondered, looking thoughtfully to the sky, "Or we could get an early start on training the dogs."

"Do you know how?" Naruto asked, looking at his sensei with a raised brow.

"It can't be that different from training you." Kisame replied, as he procured what looked like a dog biscuit from his cloak, "C'mon, sit boy!"

"Kisame-sensei… that's cruel." Naruto muttered, his voice partially obscured by Eko's laughter, "And more importantly, why do you even _have_ those?"

"I guess the idea of training ninken just sorta grew on me." Kisame shrugged, dropping the biscuit for the pups to fight amongst, "Dogs don't hold back after all."

Naruto glanced back as he heard Gaara's grunt of annoyance. He had just checked the leaf in his hands, and was angered to find it hadn't the slightest semblance of a cut to it. He clamped his hands shut, gripping the leaf even tighter as he tried again.

"_Looks like it's a lot harder without the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."_ Naruto thought, relieved that he had chosen that Jutsu from the Scroll of Seals. He then glanced down at the pups, raising his brow in surprise, _"Oh yeah!"_

He crouched down on the ground, reaching into the small mass of pups. He found Hotei and removed the bag from his collar, that was punishment enough. The little dog raised his head to look up at Naruto, who smiled at him and petted his chin. He then straightened up and pocketed the bag, continuing on his way.

"With those Kage Bunshin, Ekokaeten and that Futon Jutsu, you've got your close-mid range bases pretty much covered." Kisame continued, when Naruto was beside him again, "I think you could do with a decent long range Jutsu."

"A long range Jutsu?" Naruto repeated, excitedly, "Like what?"

"I dunno, I'm just thinking aloud." the giant Shinobi admitted, scratching his head, "I guess the best thin to do would be to train you in shape manipulation, since you've already got nature worked out. If you can get shape as well, it'll be a lot easier to create your own Jutsu."

"Shape- wait, create my own Jutsu?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock, "I can do that?!"

"Not yet you can't." Kisame bluntly replied, "You're gonna need to learn shape first."

"RAGH!" Gaara yelled, tossing his leaf to the ground. Naruto looked back at the red haired boy bewilderedly, that was the first time he'd ever heard Gaara so angry, even compared to the times they'd fought. It wasn't something he expected from him, he didn't usually let things like that bother him.

"Looks like he's the impatient type." Kisame noted, looking back with a raised brow. He then spoke up, "Throwing the thing's not gonna do ya any good."

Gaara looked up at Kisame, the glare he'd been giving the leaf meeting his new sensei's gaze. Kisame grinned broadly at Gaara's expression, feeling the killer intent rising from him. He then released some of his own, his grin widening as Gaara's brow twitched. Naruto, though a bystander in this situation, stepped in as he heard six collective whines.

"Come on, the little guys can't handle this." he said, looking nervously at Kisame. His sensei glanced down at the dogs, all of whom were bowing their heads and shaking. He sighed, and Naruto felt the spike of malcontent lower. Gaara however, kept his expression, undeterred by the pups' unease.

"Very well then, it looks like Gaara-san here needs some… _private tutoring._" Kisame said, replacing his killer intent with a sadistic grin, "Whaddaya say? You up for a little battle?"

Naruto looked at Kisame in alarm, was he seriously challenging Gaara to a fight?! He looked over to the other person, whose eyes were dark and cold. He already had an idea of his response, and was actually a little worried for him. He had trained with the both of them, and he knew truthfully that if these two were to fight, they wouldn't want to stop.

"Alright." Gaara replied, his voice low and daunting. Naruto whipped his head around to him, was he serious?! Naruto could only stand Kisame's killer intent because he had travelled with him. Gaara had actually been affected by that intent, even if it was only minor. Was he trying to get himself killed?!

"Heh heh, nice thirst." Kisame chuckled, as he turned to his right, "Hey runt, go on ahead without us. See if you can toughen those mutts up, or they won't last long."

"Gah- wait min-" Naruto began.

"Move." Gaara said, pushing Naruto aside as he headed in the same direction as Kisame. Both of them began descending the hill to the trees far below, both forgetting Naruto completely.

"Hey, com on!" Naruto called, holding his hands to his mouth.

"Don't bother, Kisame no Danna really does love a fight."

Naruto let out an exasperated groan, knowing that Eko was right. Even though he didn't like it, this situation had nothing to do with him. it would be better just to hope that Kisame would let up before he did something too dangerous.

Guiltily, he turned back to the road and resumed walking. Though Kisame and Gaara were gone from his vision, he could still hear the light crunching of grass as they descended. But he was soon distracted by that sound as he heard the pups whine again. He looked at them, they all seemed quite down, their tails and heads lowered as they followed Naruto.

"Hey, you guys ok?" he asked, crouching down to them. He held out his hand, and each of the pups padded towards him. They gathered around his outstretched hand, to which he turned it over and pet each of them on the head. That seemed to lift their spirits a little, their heads rising higher as Naruto removed his hand from them. He then reached into his pouch and grabbed a small box, Kisame wasn't the only one to buy treats for the pups. He took out six small biscuits and gave one to each of them, which they quickly ate up. Once they were finished, he straightened up again and walked on, the pups now calm enough to keep up with him quietly.

* * * * *

"So what are you going to do?" Tsunade asked, placing her hand on her hip. She, Shizune, Tonton and Jiraiya stood at the exit of a passing village, with trees on one side and buildings on the other. It was still early morning, but they had decided to try and get back to Konoha as soon as possible.

"Right now my priority is to get back to Konoha." Jiraiya replied, "With what you told me, I'm beginning to get a picture about what Akatsuki is planning. I'll need to check up some stuff in the archives first though."

"You sure about that?" Tsunade asked, with a bemused frown, "Second hand information isn't exactly your preference."

"I'd rather put off checking out Ame until I know what I'm looking for." Jiraiya said, smirking from Tsunade's insinuation, "There isn't any concrete evidence that he was ever actually affiliated with Ame. The fact that he has a slashed headband is displaying that he's a missing-nin, something most other missing-nin would try to avoid. I need to find out why first."

"I guess, since he was only a civilian at the time there won't be much I can do." Tsunade said, folding her arms, "Though, if you do find the kid, what'll you do?"

Jiraiya scratched the back of his neck as he glanced off into space, a look of concern on his face.

"If he doesn't want to go back to Konoha, I can't make him." he said, sighing, "However, Minato-kun did make me the boy's godfather, so I'm technically responsible for him. Sarutobi-sensei was able to look after him in my stead… but now…"

Jiraiya's thoughts were suddenly disturbed by a faint hint of laughter. He looked at Tsunade, who had her hand in front of her mouth, and a little colour showing in her cheeks.

"You almost sound like a responsible adult." she commented, with a smile. But then her tone grew a little softer, "Are you sure you wanna do that again?"

Jiraiya raised his brow in surprise, his hand loosing its grip on his neck. His expression slowly lowered however, into a distant and slightly sad look.

"Maybe this time I'll do it right." he said, as he turned and began the journey back to Konoha. Tsunade followed him with her eyes, her smile slipping.

"Jiraiya…" she whispered.


	55. Speed of the seal

Ah, i had to pump out the last few pages of this. Looks like the one page-one episode rule I came up with is a lot harder to work with when you're reading manga or watching youtube. Anyways, I think this chapter will be more interesting, it's surprising how near the climax is, heh heh heh.

Disclaimer: is everyone ready to see Naruto's sage rage? I know I sure as hell am.

* * *

Speed of the seal

"C'mon, faster!" Kisame said, tapping his palm with the back of his hand, "That the best you can do?"

"Damn it, this isn't easy!" Naruto replied, as he ran through all of the hand seals, "Why the hell does this matter anyway?!"

"The point between creating and using a Jutsu that's most dangerous is using the seals." Kisame replied, shrugging an unconscious and gourdless Gaara back onto his shoulder, "So you gotta make sure the time it takes is next to nothing, now FASTER!"

"Gah!" Naruto cried, as he resumed the training, "Ne! Ushi! Tora! U! Tatsu! Mi! Uma! Hitsuji! Saru! Tori! Inu! I!"

"Now reverse!" Kisame ordered, hurriedly.

"I! Inu! Tori! SarUUAAAH!!!" Naruto cried out, as he suddenly got a cramp in both his hands. He began wringing them out madly, cursing to himself as the pups danced around him.

It was the day after Kisame and Gaara had their fight, yet the red haired boy was still to regain consciousness. Kisame assured Naruto it was just chakra exhaustion, and stated that even the Ichibi would be taking a nap after that. However, when he thought he heard a content sigh coming from Samehada, he couldn't help but feel unease.

They made their way over a rocky ridge, the world to either side a shallow decline of grey boulder and stone. The trees had all but disappeared, one could hardly believe that this was still the Land of Fire. The harsh sun stared at them from above, its piercing gaze bringing dry tiredness to the already fatigued Naruto. The lack of a breeze forbade him any relief, and the scattered path they walked across wasn't exactly easy on the feet. The pups knew this discomfort especially well, their still soft paws were more used to the soft earth of the caves they were born in, compared to the warm stones which made this road.

"Alright, give your hands a rest for now." Kisame said, rolling his eyes, "We'll work on your Kenjutsu, starting with stance transference. Don't bother with the feet, just the hands."

"Right." Naruto replied, sliding Eko from his sheath. He loosely tied the pups' leash around his belt, before taking the katana in both hands. He watched Kisame intensely, awaiting the drill he had become familiar with during their first trip. The older Shinobi kept his eyes ahead though, watching the distance and taking a slow, deep breath.

"Seigan!" he barked. In an instant Naruto responded, flicking Eko up so the hilt was near his waist, while the tip level with his shoulders. He straightened his back and relaxed his hands, "Tenchi! Hasso! Daijodan!"

Naruto followed the instructions perfectly, first raising Eko so that he was completely vertical, and above where his knee would have been. Then he lifted the blade higher, so that the hilt was next to his neck. From there he raised Eko above his head, tilting it back roughly forty five degrees. He looked at Kisame for the next instruction, but only saw his sensei smirking.

"Alright, looks like you've learned all the stances anyway." he said, "Then next-"

"Gah…" Gaara groaned, as his eyes fluttered open. Kisame glanced over his shoulder at the young boy, grinning broadly.

"Look who's finally awake." he said, shrugging Gaara onto his feet. He kept a grip on the boy's shoulder until he was sure he had his balance, before continuing on, "Naruto-kun, get him something to eat will ya?"

"On it." Naruto replied, sliding Eko back into his sheath. He then reached into Gaara's satchel, which he had also been carrying since the owner was out, and handed him a pack of dried meat. Gaara, who had a hand pressed against his forehead as he regained awareness, accepted the pack silently, "You feeling alright?"

"I'm fine." Gaara replied, begrudgingly. He tore open the pack and took out a string of meat with his teeth. He then took it in his hand and tore it off, chewing thoroughly.

"Anyway, we'll be reaching a good spot for some training soon." Kisame said, from his position ahead, "A good place for focusing."

"What kinda place is it?" Naruto asked, speeding up to catch up with Kisame.

"Eh, just a quiet little grove." Kisame replied, with a shrug, "However, it _is_ guarded by a small group affiliated with Konoha."

"Konoha?!" Naruto repeated, "What does that mean?"

"Just that if we stick around there too long we might have some company." Kisame replied, evenly, "Then again, that could be an opportunity for some good Kenjutsu training."

"I think you and I see good opportunities differently." Naruto said, tiredly, "Couldn't we just go someplace that _isn't_ guarded?"

Kisame chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Naruto continued to feel his exasperation, knowing full well how hard it was to change this person's mind.

"We'll go to that place." Kisame said, definitively, "We'll have at least a day or two there before anything should happen, the guards won't trouble us right away. They're a cowardly bunch, and they don't want to admit to what they've been guarding. It'll be fine until they send out a message to the leaf."

Kisame suddenly turned his head to the sky as a fluttering sound came in. A small carrier pigeon flew through the air towards them, straight for Kisame. The missing-nin raised his hand in the air, and the bird landed on it, giving a hooting announcement. With a cocked brow, Kisame reached up and removed a small scroll attached to the bird's leg, before flicking his wrist and shooing the bird away. He then unwrapped the scroll, studying the minute writing closely.

"Hmm… how interesting." he muttered, as he scanned the writing. After few seconds, he wrapped the scroll again and slipped it inside his cloak, before continuing on as if nothing had happened.

"What was that?" Naruto asked, watching his sensei curiously.

"Just a little update on something." Kisame replied simply, "Though it certainly sounds like a good opportunity."

"What is?" Naruto asked again, persistently.

"It's no matter right now." Kisame said, his tone dropping, "Practice your seals again."

"Ugh, alright." Naruto grumbled, tensing his hands again.

* * * * *

Neji sat on the rooftop of the Hyuga clan's main household, basking calmly in the sunlight. He rested his arms on his knees, serenely gazing into the courtyard below. Among the passing breeze carried the sound of a girl's grunts of effort, and the sound of wood being struck.

He watched Hyuga Hinata as she trained diligently, striking a large wooden post with her open palm. Her back was to him, she stood in the shadow of the post as she attacked it. Neji didn't need to see her face to know she was using her Byakugan, it was clear that she was trying to get as much out of her free time as possible. However, she was missing points and slipping up quite often, it was clear she was distracted, and just as obvious why. Neji was within the range of her eyes after all.

"Good morning, Hinata-sama." he said, making his presence known. Hinata came to a stop, turning around to look at him. Her Byakugan faded away, and her arms rose to her chest as she nervously looked up at her older cousin. She found eye contact too difficult though, and soon broke it.

"Good morning, Neji-niisan." she whispered, her quiet voice only just reaching Neji's ears. Neji placed his hand on the slates of the roof and slid down, landing neatly on the ground. Hinata flinched from the sound of him touching the floor, but he could see she was trying her best to remain calm.

"You seem to have recovered well." he said, in a soft tone.

"Y-yes." Hinata replied, looking to her right as her fingertips brushed each other, "I was told I could go on missions again soon."

"Is that a good idea?" Neji asked, leaning against the wooden column to his left, "It looks like you're losing your focus."

"No, I'm fine." Hinata replied, looking off to her left this time. Neji sighed, he could see just from looking at her that she didn't believe her words either.

"Very well then, do not allow me to disturb you." he said, gesturing for her to continue. Hinata paused hesitantly, turning away with frequent glances to Neji. But she then had her back to him, and after a few uncertain breaths, she calmed herself as best as she could. She raised her hands in a seal, focusing her chakra.

"Byakugan!" she called. Neji felt her brief chakra spike, and a faint smirk appeared on his lips. He watched as his timid cousin readied her stance, revealing her palms to the post. She reached back, readying a strike, but then paused.

_Thump… thump… thump… thump…_

Neji didn't look to find out who it was walking behind him, he didn't need to. There were very few here that would so leisurely walk through this place, and of those few there was only one who could make Hinata hesitate like that. Her father.

"Is there a reason you are here, Neji-san?" the voice of Hyuga Hiashi asked, as the footsteps came to a stop.

"I am currently overseeing Hinata-sama's training, Hiashi-sama." Neji replied, without looking back. He felt Hiashi's eyes linger on him momentarily, before the sound of footsteps came and slowly went again. Hinata hadn't moved in the slightest, even after her father had left. Neji read her thoughts, and straightened up. He stepped down into the courtyard, aware that even with the Byakugan Hinata barely noticed him, "You know something Hinata-sama?"

Hinata looked at Neji in surprise, taken aback by just how casual both his tone and movements had become. Her Byakugan disappeared once more, and her stance lowered back to the uncertain one.

"What is it, Neji-niisan?" she asked, as he drew nearer to her.

"It's surprising really." Neji said, in a relaxed manner, "Sasuke-kun seems to have quite some respect for you."

"Huh?!" Hinata exclaimed, shock breaking her nervousness, "What- I- I don't know what you – mean!"

"He was quite upset after the preliminaries." Neji explained, stepping around to a tall, decorative rock and leaning against it, "He didn't like the way I dealt with our match."

"Oh… is that true?" Hinata asked, her gaze and tone lowering as she recalled why she'd been nervous in the first place. Neji cocked his head at her slightly, his smile widening.

"You know Hinata-sama, though you may be overly timid and gentle, I have to admit I admire your tenacity." he said, earning a look of surprise from the girl, "Is it because of Hiashi-sama?"

"I-" Hinata began, before faltering. It seemed what little confidence she had left was breaking down around her, just as Neji had expected.

"This is why I told you that you should quit being a ninja." he said, folding his arms, "Doing all of this merely for Hiashi-sama's approval will do you no good in the end."

Hinata dropped her gaze, not wanting to look into Neji's eyes. Even for a Hyuga, his were especially penetrating.

"I- I know I can do it." she said, tentatively, "If I can show him that- that I'm worthy… then maybe…"

Neji straightened up suddenly, causing Hinata to stop mid sentence. The look on his face suggested nothing, and as he walked towards her, Hinata felt herself swallowing hard. His eyes weren't upon her, but somewhere behind her. Yet that didn't give her the slightest feeling of ease.

"As you wish." he said, as he passed her by. Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as she felt his hand pat her head, "Then please do your best."

Hinata, stunned, stood quite still as Neji disappeared through an awning into the street. It wasn't for several moments until she looked back, her eyes looking a pair of full moons.

"Niisan?" she wondered aloud, with a bewildered expression.

* * * * *

"Is this it?" Naruto asked, peeking through the thick bushes.

"Yeah." Kisame replied, stepping out from the wilderness casually, "Don't bother hiding, even the guards aren't allowed in here."

Naruto cast a glance around, before getting to his feet and climbing out. They stood in what looked like a vast grove, green grass running around a large, crystal blue pond. A thin stream ran into the pond, disappearing through the trees up ahead. Off to the distance, many tall and snow capped hills could be seen, greyed as they were by the horizon. Naruto took a look around, but his eyes eventually fell on Kisame, who was heading in a very specific direction.

In the centre of the pond, on a small outcrop of land, there stood a tall and well grown tree. It cast several thick branches across the pond, creating what looked like a dome shape atop quite a portion of the water. Jade leaves covered the many intertwining branches, though because of the season some had fallen to float atop the water's surface.

"Over here." Kisame said, stepping onto the water as he walked towards the tree. Naruto glanced back as he heard Gaara walk through the bushes, before the two of them moved to join their sensei, "You see this tree?"

Naruto and Gaara stepped onto the outcrop, standing behind Kisame. They both looked over the tree, neither able to see anything of interest.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, looking up and around, "There something here?"

"Yeah, the tree."

Naruto reached back and flicked Eko's hilt, something he came to find annoyed Eko to no end. He stepped closer to the tree, looking up and down it blankly.

"The bark doesn't line up." Gaara concluded, as he stood at Kisame's other side.

"Right." Kisame confirmed, reaching out with his hand. Naruto watched as he ran his finger across what seemed to be a long, thin scar which seemed to course right around the tree, "They cut this tree down, remove a layer of wood, and just stick it back on with a good Jutsu."

"What for?" Naruto asked, as he touched the scar as well.

"This place… call it a lab." Kisame answered, with a grin, "This tree is a prototype. You remember when we first began nature manipulation training, that piece of paper?"

"Yeah…" Naruto replied, casting his thoughts back, "You mean this tree is…"

"Nah, that was another one." Kisame said, shaking his head. He placed his palm on the bark and looked up to the higher branches, "This is a different kind of tree. A _very_ different kind."

Gaara turned away from the tree, his interest failing quickly. Inversely, Naruto began looking at it wondrously, Kisame's words alone piquing his intrigue.

"So what's the deal?" he asked, growing impatient with his sensei's stalling.

"That other tree has been modified to identify the nature of a person's chakra." Kisame explained, lowering his hand and turning to Naruto, "This one however, has been created to _amplify_ the quality of that chakra."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, taking a step back, "Seriously?!"

"Yes." Kisame replied, noticing Gaara's disinterest, "But more than that, it could potentially cut the time taken for nature training by about a third."

Gaara's tension spoke more than an expression ever could, and Kisame's expression said more than his words. He knew he once more had the boy's attention, and went on.

"The purpose of this tree is to allow Shinobi to master nature manipulation early, and also to create weapons which will gain power perhaps equal to the Ekokaeten."

At these words, Naruto's expression slipped. Behind him, he sensed that Eko felt the same as he did. Power equal to Eko's…

"Naturally, our objective is to destroy this tree." Kisame said, slapping it with his palm, "But before we do that, why not get some use out of it, and perhaps take a souvenir as an extra bit of help?"

"A souvenir?" Naruto repeated, "So, we're taking some of the tree?"

"Just enough to give an advantage." Kisame replied, with a shrug, "But for now, we'll get to training."

He looked back to give Gaara instruction, but to his surprise the boy already had a leaf clasped in his hands, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.

"Heh, not bad." Kisame commented, before looking at Naruto, "Well what are you waiting for? GET TO WORK!"

"Gyah!" Naruto cried, jumping back, "Hai!"

* * * * *

It was surprising, but Kisame had been right. Even though they spent most of the rest of the day there, not once were they disturbed. The sun had fallen down to the other side of the sky, and now loomed over there as it gave the land one more look over. If there was anything out of place, aside from the lack of wildlife, it was the slash marks now cut into the ground, and some of the surrounding trees. Naruto pressed his palm against the bark of one of those trees, sweat dripping down his face as he panted for breath.

"Alright, we'll stop here." Kisame said, placing Samehada back on his back, "Continuing won't do any good."

"Alright." Naruto exhaled, sliding down to sit against the tree.

From the bushes behind, Koyane and the others appeared, padding up beside him. each of them took the place he lay to be the place they sleep, and so they too lay down on the ground, taking a rest from their less meaningful day. Kisame glanced at them as he sat down at the tree next to Naruto, smirking to himself.

"You wanna explain how your swordsmanship is so sloppy?" he asked, with deserved arrogance, "Last I checked, you had at least _some_ skill with Kenjutsu. Now you're just flailing around like a moron."

"Hah… sorry Kisame-sensei…" Naruto replied, his chest heaving. He watched Gaara, who still stood on the outcrop with the leaf clutched in his hands, "I guess I got a little distracted."

"Lemme guess, you got too friendly and it made a mess of things." Kisame said, with a knowing look.

"Ah… well…" Naruto replied, his reason for sweating suddenly becoming nerves. He didn't exactly want to go into details about the events around his meeting Rika, or more precisely, his losing Eko, "Yeah."

"What an idiot." Kisame grumbled, "Didn't I teach you the only person you need close is the one in front of your blade?"

"That's not exactly the greatest philosophy." Naruto muttered in reply. He shuffled slightly, so his arm was resting on his knee, "But… I did screw things up."

Kisame nodded sagely, bowing his head to his chest. Naruto let his hand hang limply, his breath coming back but his expression didn't relax. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes faraway and his expression showing nothing.

"You know that if this tree isn't destroyed, it'll only aid Konoha?" Kisame said, the collar of his cloak hiding his face. Naruto nodded, something Kisame noticed from the corner of his eye, "You wanna be the one to take it down?"

Naruto paused, looking past Gaara and straight at the tree. He thought about what this tree could do, and how it could benefit Konoha. He remembered what the ANBU squad that intercepted him had told him, that Iruka was still alive. And then he remembered that dream he had, with Haruno Sakura, and old man Hokage. For some reason, that dream had stuck pretty firmly in his mind. Particularly, the point where he turned from Zetsu and fled back to the village. He thought about it.

"Yeah." he said, quietly, "I'll do it."

"Good boy." Kisame replied, with a smile, "Make sure and break it nice and good. Do a good job and I'll reward you."

"Sure." Naruto replied, as he slid further down the tree so that he was lying with his back to Kisame. He faced the pups, seeing their open, black eyes looking at him. He reached out with his hand and touched Shinmaru on his wet nose, before closing his eyes.

* * * * *

It was quiet that night, with the full moon cast across the sky. Most everyone had settled in for the night, with only the new Hokage and the night guards still awake. At least, as far as anyone could tell, that was the case.

All along the Hyuga compound, there was peaceful silence. Along the districts belonging to the branch family members, very few still had lights on. In fact, there were probably more people awake in the main household than there was in the entire compound besides. Inside one of the rooms of the main household, Neji knelt on the ground across from the leader of the Hyuga; Hyuga Hiashi.

Neji patiently watched the familiar face of his uncle, silently despising how identical he was to his dead father. It almost felt like a mockery. He had the same long, brown hair of any Hyuga, and the pale eyes of the clan too. But the strong chin, thin lips and pronounced cheekbones were all familiar to him as his father's, Hyuga Hizashi. In fact, if there was any difference at all between the two, it would be that scowl that seemed permanently set on Hiashi's face. It was a look Neji had never once seen in his own father, and the one reminder that this person wasn't he.

"You hide your feelings well, Neji-san." Hiashi said, as he knelt down in front of Neji, "But you forget that I am much more experienced than you."

"I'm sure it is just the light, Hiashi-sama." Neji replied, bowing his head. Hiashi studied him for a moment, fully confident in his own perception.

"I see." he said, casting his eyes to the candles on the wall to his left, "And yet you so diligently showed otherwise against my daughter."

Neji looked Hiashi in the eye, feeling the great desire to smirk at this moment. But he restrained himself, a surprisingly easy feat when it was this man that was before him.

"I merely agreed with your views, Hiashi-sama." Neji replied, "Hinata-sama is ill-suited to be a Kunoichi, if I may be so bold."

"You may." Hiashi said, with a nod, "Her mother was much too soft on her, believing that our next would be a son and rightful heir."

"I'm sure if need be, Hanabi-sama would make a fine heir."

"Perhaps so. But I would say it's too early to tell for that." Hiashi agreed, "However, this is irrelevant to my reason for summoning you here."

"I see." Neji said, hiding his curiosity with his manners. He had been quite surprised to be summoned by Hiashi, without the faintest idea as to a purpose.

"There is a matter I wished to speak to you about." Hiashi said, reaching into his dark grey robes and pulling out from it a scroll, "It is regarding the situation of your father's death."

At this mention not even Neji could hold back a twitch of his brow. His eyes fell on the scroll that was laid between him and Hiashi. The elder Hyuga raised his eyes to him, and Neji begrudgingly did the same.

"Is there something I wasn't clear of?" Neji asked, his tone failing him slightly.

"Indeed." Hiashi replied, with a nod, "To be completely honest, this was not something I wished to ever have to discuss with you. It never seemed likely that you would believe me anyway. However, considering the current situation of the village, I feel it would be best if I wear to tell you this now. You see… these were your father's last wishes."

* * * * *

Neji slid the door to the Hiashi's room shut, turning out onto the wooden walkway next to the courtyard. The lights inside had dimmed and gone, and there was silence once more in the night. His face was blank, yet his eyes were distant. Quietly, he walked along the wooden platform, watching his feet with each step.

"Neji-niisan?" he heard a quiet voice. He raised his head with a look of slight surprise, but soon it disappeared behind his usual lack of expression.

"Hinata-sama." he said, bowing his head, "Hello again."

"Where you meeting with father?" Hinata asked, looking past him to the dark door, "Oh… he is sleeping?"

"I- yes." Neji replied, with a nod, "It seemed better that we both retire."

"Oh." Hinata sounded, with a dejected look. Neji spotted the steaming cup in her hands, it looked like she was bringing it to her father, "I see. Well, I'll give this to him anyway, father doesn't rest easily."

"Very well then." Neji replied, stepping aside, "Please go on ahead."

Hinata nodded, walking slowly past Neji as she tried not to spill the contents of her cup. Neji watched her as she passed, a calm look appearing on his face.

"Farewell, Hinata." he said, as he turned and walked away. Hinata whirled around in surprise, her cheeks reddening from being referred to so casually. Her surprise lasted only a moment though, as hot tea spilled over her fingers. She gasped in shock, almost dropping the cup onto the floor. When she looked up again, Neji was gone.

"Niisan?" she whispered, for the second time today. But there was no sign of him, it was almost like he had never been there in the first place. She looked over for just a second more, before turning around and continuing on her way. She had only spilt a little tea, there was still plenty to drink. She reached the door and carefully slid it open, poking her head inside, "Fath-"

She dropped the cup, barely noticing as it hit the floor and threw hot tea onto her feet. She cried out in shock as she looked at Hyuga Hiashi, writhing on the floor and clutching his eyes. Vomit poured from his lips as he choked on his own fluids, his very groans barely heard over them.

"Father!" Hinata cried, rushing to his side.


	56. Confrontation at the end

WOO! I'VE BEEN WAITING MONTHS TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER! HELL YEAH! All the build up has finally paid off, I'm pretty damn excited myself. A lot of you may be able to guess what this means, but to those of you who don't... well, surprise for you huh? I put all my efforts into this chapter, I was damn near hyperactive throughout the whole thing. Please, I beg of you, let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Not long till we see just how in control Naruto is. I reckon if the seal was as bad as it was during the pain fight, Naruto would have gone six tails and tore Sasuke's heart out in an instant.

* * *

**Confrontation at the end**

The midday sun shone brightly today, the clear sky allowing its light to be cast across the green grass and trees below. The passive warmth it gave would inspire a day of comfort and ease, in the case of those with simple lives. The sound of birds beating wings and chirping calls filled the air as they flew through the air, their swooping and circling dance a sight for anyone to see. There were also the sounds of the river, a long waterway coursing through the deep stone valley, swishes and whispers floating around as the cool stream drifted off to the west. It was up above this river, along the grassy land heading to the east, where Naruto and Gaara ran.

"_Damn it Kisame-sensei!"_ Naruto thought, as the pups strapped onto his chest squirmed. He and Gaara had been moving at top speed all day, since Naruto had woken up to the knowledge their sensei was gone. Gaara, who had been training for most of the night, discovered the note that Kisame had left embedded to a tree.

"_Follow me when the idiot gets up."_ the note had read, _"I gotta take care of some things. Meet me up at the Valley of the End by noon."_

It hadn't been the ditching them that had annoyed Naruto, he was more than familiar with Kisame going off to do his own thing. It wasn't leaving them to figure out how to get rid of the tree or escape that place either. But after looking at his map and realising just where this valley was, _that_ was what pissed him off. What would have normally been a days journey, they'd have to cover in at most half that. To that end, they had barely enough time to get breakfast.

"Does he often do things like this?" Gaara asked, gripping the small block of wood he'd taken from the tree tight. He had been annoyed at first that Kisame had managed to slip away without him noticing, considering that Gaara had been awake through the whole thing. His focus on the training had been absolute, he had sat still all night and not checked his results until the next morning. Though he had managed to form a minute cut to the leaf, he was far from pleased.

"Yeah, I'd get used to it if I were you." Naruto replied, as Akira turned around and barked up at him. It had been a common habit of Kisame's to disappear just before they had to leave. There were few good occasions were he stuck around until the end, but it was much more expected for him to just show up from nowhere and tell Naruto that they were leaving immediately.

Up ahead, something was slowly coming into view. It hadn't been too clear at first, but now that they drew nearer they got a better idea. At the end of valley, there was a large waterfall coursing down to the river, a white mist of water hovering at the bottom. But what drew their attention was not the falls, but that which stood on either side of them.

Two giant stone statues, both etched from the solid rock, face each other. Both of them wore heavy armour over their bodies, like that of old samurai. They each had their hands raised in the ram seal, apparently both were Shinobi. The only most noticeable difference between them were their faces, on of which Naruto was very familiar with. The long, dark hair and strong features were identical to those of the Shodai Hokage's face on the monument in Konoha. The other one however, was unfamiliar to him. A smooth, pointed face with long spiky hair, belonging to none of the Hokage Naruto knew of. But from the looks of things, this appeared to be the monument to a battle. It made Naruto wonder why Kisame would choose for them to meet here, did he know of that fight?

"There's someone up there."

Naruto blinked in surprise, as he realised Eko was right. Over there, atop the head of the unknown statue, two people stood close together. Neither of them was recognisable, the distance was still much too great. But certainly, neither of them remotely resembled Kisame.

"You see them?" he asked, glancing to his left. Gaara looked at him with a frown, before looking ahead again. He narrowed his eyes, squinting as he tried to make out the people Naruto was referring to. He seemed to be having difficulty, though was unwilling to admit it.

"Looks like the eyes of an insomniac desert boy aren't the strongest."

"It looks like two people, on top of that statue on the left." Naruto said, deciding to help Gaara despite not being asked to, "They're just standing there though. Looks like they're talking."

"Think maybe we should take a detour?"

It certainly seemed like the best idea, since they didn't know who these two were. But from the glance Naruto gave Gaara, it seemed the other boy had no intention of taking another route. Too often had he openly faced combat for Naruto to have any doubt. And besides, this was where they were supposed to meet Kisame, going on ahead would only cause problems.

"Let's stop here." Naruto said, slowing down. Gaara cast him a glance and did the same, soon coming to a complete stop. They stood now just a hundred rough yards from the other two, both of whom still hadn't seemed to have noticed them. That was good, Naruto wasn't in any rush to make new acquaintances.

As Naruto crouched down to the ground, intending to release the pups, Gaara took a step forward, squinting again to the pair on the statue. He ignored the sounds of the pups yelping as he watched them closely, "They know we're here."

"What?" Naruto asked, as he let Daisuke down onto the ground. He looked past Gaara, his stronger eyes spotting the pair looking at them. He quickly turned his head away, reaching up and lifting Kunimei out, "It's fine as long as we keep distance, right?"

Kunimei yipped up at him as he joined the others, tail wagging as much as the rest. They seemed somewhat excited about this place, perhaps the sound of the waterfall was nostalgic for them?

"That _would_ be the case." Gaara replied, folding his arms. Naruto paused, with Shinmaru halfway to the ground. Slowly, he raised his head, looking to the right. Those two were walking towards them.

"_Fuck."_ Naruto thought, as he lowered Shinmaru onto the ground, "Go on."

With an encouraging push, he persuaded the pups to disappear into the bushes. When they were out of sight, he straightened up and turned to face the approaching duo.

Gaara's grip on his arms tightened and loosened with anticipation. He watched the newcomers closely, his impatience known only to Naruto. Both of them watched the other two, who were now slowly coming into view. One of them was dressed in a blue short sleeved shirt with a tall collar and white shorts. His hair was dark and hung on either side of his face, a gleaming Konoha headband keeping his fringe out of his eyes. The rest of it spiked out behind him, an unusual style indeed. He had pale skin and dark, weary looking eyes, and a fixed scowl on his face. Beside him was a different boy entirely, one with long, brown hair and a forehead protector with hanging straps on either side of his also pale face. He however, dressed in pale clothing, a beige shirt with several straps on it and dark brown shorts. Also, for some reason, his left arm and leg were wrapped in bandages. He seemed to be the inverse of the other boy, with his expression being relaxed and even his eyes pale and seemingly without pupils.

Naruto looked between the two of them, getting a sense of growing déjà vu. He felt like he had met this pair, but at the same time they both seemed strange to him. The first came to a stop several metres away from them, while the second moved a little closer, a cool smile on his face.

"As I thought." he said, with a strangely pleased expression, "So it really is you, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto's brow creased in confusion, he was now fairly certain he had met this person somewhere before, but still couldn't quite place it. He knew he recognised those eyes, how often do you meet someone without pupils? Other than the person to his right of course.

"Uzumaki?!" the dark haired boy repeated, his eyes narrowing at Naruto, "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Naruto's brow creased further as he gave the dark haired boy a dumb look, squinting with his eyes as his mouth opened wordlessly. But suddenly, and animatedly, his eyes widened in shock and he stepped back.

"Uchiha Sasuke?!" he exclaimed, finally recognising his old classmate, "What are _you_ doing here?!"

"Baka, that's what I just asked you!" Sasuke heatedly replied. To his right, Gaara looked at Naruto, catching his partner's attention. Naruto looked at him blankly, though without the stupid look he'd been giving Sasuke.

"Uchiha?" Gaara repeated, looking Sasuke over. He then locked eyes with him, a courtesy Sasuke returned, "You have business with him?"

"Huh, not really." Naruto replied, with a shrug, "Just a surprise is all."

Gaara nodded, his eyes remaining on Sasuke for a while longer. He then moved onto the other person, his green orbs landing on the other's white.

"I take it you are Hyuga?" he asked. Naruto noticed he was being unusually talkative right now. That was _never_ a good thing.

Suddenly, something snapped in Naruto's memory. Hyuga… that name, it definitely rung a bell in his mind. And that bell was steadily ringing louder. Up at Naomi's home… inside the house… through a secret panel in the floor… out into the woods behind…

"AH!" Naruto cried out, stepping back again. He raised an accusing finger to the only remaining stranger, a nervous sweat forming on his brow, "Hyuga Neji!"

"Better late than never I suppose." Neji sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He then folded his arms again, smiling at Naruto, "Though it certainly offends me that the only person in my age group to ever defeat me can't even bother to recall my name."

Once more all eyes fell on Naruto, who remained with a sense of bewilderment. Despite his shock though, he still felt pissed by the taken aback looks on both Gaara _and_ Sasuke's faces. It would seem that neither of them could believe that to be the case, that Naruto could defeat someone like Neji. Though that only made him feel even more annoyed, since Gaara had only _just_ met Neji.

"_I'm being underestimated." _he thought, his expression turning to irritated disdain. Sasuke regarded him for a moment longer, before looking to Neji.

"C'mon, let's go." he said, turning away.

"Now hold on Sasuke." Neji replied, keeping his eyes on Naruto, "Doesn't this seem like a good opportunity?"

Sasuke came to a stop, turning his head just enough to look at Neji. Though he only saw the back of Neji's head, he seemed to understand his comrade's meaning. However, agreeing with it was apparently a different manner, judging by his narrow eyes.

"You wanna fight these guys?" he asked, his eyes flickering to Naruto, "Why?"

"As you know, Naruto over here defeated me once." Neji replied, maintaining his calm, "I wish for a rematch with him."

Naruto jerked his head from Sasuke to Neji, suddenly realising just what was going on. It was no good, it looked like it had already been decided that they were going to fight. He looked Neji in the eyes, and saw that same superior look that had once infuriated him into a stupor. The look still pissed him off, and when merged with the annoyance he'd already gathered from this meeting, he wasn't too opposed to a fight.

"You wish to fight Naruto then?" Gaara asked, before looking to Sasuke, "Then that would make you my opponent."

"Wa- hey Gaara?" Naruto said, earning Gaara's attention. But now that he had it, Naruto didn't really know what to say. He looked over to Sasuke, who had completely disregarded him and gave Gaara his full attention. In a moment, he recalled his opinion of this person all through his time at the academy. He whipped his head round to Gaara, a serious expression on his face. Slowly, he raised a closed fist, the thumb quickly springing to attention, "Kick his ass."

"You strong?" Sasuke asked, as an arrogant smile spread across his lips.

Gaara looked at him blankly, the fidgeting of his fingers ceasing. It seemed that in that moment all four of them were caught in a visual deadlock, none of them breaking eye contact from their now decided opponents. However, though Gaara had been the one to initiate this state, he was also the one to break it, as the cork from his gourd shot out with a cracking sound.

"AGH!" Naruto cried out, grabbing his cheek. He glared at Gaara, a livid look on his face, "WATCH IT!"

But his words were ignored as suddenly, sand blasted out from the gourd, whipping out at both Neji and Sasuke. Despite their surprise of this strange kind of attack however, both easily managed to avoid it, disappearing into thin air.

"_Shit!"_ Naruto thought, as he turned to his left. In the air, barely two metres away from him, Neji reappeared, his arms outstretched as he turned mid-air.

"Hakkesho-" Neji began, as his spins increased in speed. Naruto cursed again as he saw the chakra stream from Neji's body, "Kaiten!"

Naruto barely managed to leap back in time as the giant spiralling sphere took up the close area in a torrent of wind. He flipped in the air as he fell down the valley, watching the water below. Soon after that, he flipped again, landing neatly on the water's surface. He looked up above, Neji watched him from the valley, alone. Gaara and Sasuke were nowhere to be seen, and from this distance any clues of sound would be hidden.

"This guy's stronger than before."

"Yeah." Naruto agreed, reaching up for his chest, "I'm not taking any chances."

He smirked as he heard Eko's faint chuckle. He undid the straps attached to the sheath of the katana from his back, as Neji slid down the wall at a leisurely pace. He then took the katana and placed it to his side, where he tied it to his waist. Then, as he waited for Neji to reach his level, he placed his left hand on the base of the hilt and the right gripping the sheath with his thumb pressed against the guard.

"My my, it looks like you really have learned to use that blade." Neji commented, as he landed on the water's surface. Small ripples cast out from his feet from the chakra he released, breaking Naruto's own, "The last time we thought you flailed that thing around as if it were a club."

"You wanna see what we can do?" Naruto asked, his face set and determined, "Then come on, we'll kick your ass!"

Neji's smile widened in an annoyingly condescending manner, making Naruto's blood boil. It was hard to believe it, but right now felt almost the same as the last time. He greatly disliked that, feeling as if things were the same as back then. He had gotten through just barely, and only because of a strange situation.

"_Well, I can't let it happen like that again."_ he thought, pushing the wedge from the katana out of the sheath wit a click. Neji spotted the movement and smirked, raising his hand in a single seal. Naruto watched as the veins crawled across his temples, just like last time. And then, without warning, he ran at Naruto, _"Damn it!"_

With a swipe he pulled out Eko, cutting through the air in front of him in the same motion. Neji ducked under the slash however, reaching up under Naruto's guard with a ready palm. Naruto saw the attack, and was fortunately quick enough to react. He turned to his left and leant over in that direction, placing his hand on the water as Neji's attack passed overhead. He then took the hilt of Eko and forced it upwards, aiming to strike Neji in the stomach. The Hyuga however was not so easily countered, he turned in the air and knocked the attack away with his hand. He then regained his footing and completed the turn, opening another attack on Naruto.

Naruto stepped back, dodging and blocking Neji's waves of palms and strikes. With each new attack he took a further step back, a disgruntled look on his face while Neji seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Damn it!" Naruto yelled, as Neji aimed a strike for his neck, fingers outstretched, "GET THE HELL OFF!"

With a harsh elbow he knocked Neji's arm aside, and threw his other hand straight at Neji's face. The Hyuga raised both his arms in a cross to defend, but was knocked back several metres by the force. When he came to a stop, he looked over his defence with a smirk, already aware that Naruto was gone.

He crouched down low, channelling his chakra to his feet in the process. Then, in one quick movement, he leapt high into the air. With a twist, he reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out both a kunai and an explosive tag. Stabbing the tag with the kunai, he threw them both straight down to the water below.

_Throoom!_

The water exploded in a rising burst, scattering white mist into the air. Neji watched this fountain with a smile, as Naruto leapt from it, weaponless. The two met in the air, where they both exchanged strikes and punches, Neji's precise attacks having much more effect than Naruto's blunt punches. Neji threw his palm into Naruto's chest, not even flinching as his opponent disappeared completely, leaving nothing but smoke in his place. He landed back on the fluctuating surface of the water, just as the mist began to settle. He watched confidently as from that mist, eight Naruto's revealed themselves, all standing around him.

"The Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Neji stated, casually, "A Kinjutsu of Konoha, if I'm not mistaken."

"Knowing that's not gonna help you!" one of the Naruto's replied, as they all leant forward with their katana's held at eye level. They all ran around Neji, circling him and getting closer. The Hyuga responded by lowering his stance, as sure as ever. Four of the Naruto's leapt into the air, each holding their blades behind them. All of the Naruto's still on the water did the same, but in a slower motion. Then, as one, they all fell upon Neji with brutal slashes.

"Kaiten!" Neji called. The resulting rotation of chakra formed the perfectly spherical barrier around him, to which all the Naruto's struck hard. But to Neji's surprise, all of them disappeared, smoke spiralling around his Jutsu. That wasn't the only thing that shook him though. He was soon to discover that the Hakkesho Kaiten wasn't the wisest Jutsu to use atop the surface of water. His footing had completely disappeared from his technique, and he fell down a few feet as the water was thrown aside. Then, once the sphere had dissipated, it all came crashing back, soaking him as it struck his body, "How annoy-"

His eyes suddenly whipped up to the sky as from above, Naruto feel down towards him, his katana held over his head. The blond boy glared down at him, his teeth bared as he turned.

"EAT THIS!" he yelled, as he began spinning like a wheel, "NARUTO GYRATION!"

Neji's eyes narrowed as he saw the trail of chakra coming from the blade's tip. It formed a wheel against the spinning boy, razor thin and sharp. It was clear that should that attack connect, he would be split in half. However, there was one possible escape.

He stepped aside.

"Foolish." he said, as Naruto passed him.

"I win." Naruto replied, with a grin. Neji's eyes widened in shock as he saw the explosive tags littered over Naruto's body. As one, they ignited, giving him no time to escape.

The resulting explosion blew a hole in the river greater than anything Neji had done. Water flew high up into the sky, a fountain of vapour casting high and falling hard. As this ephemeral rain cast back down, it struck Neji's sphere of chakra, a Hakkesho Kaiten triggered at the last possible second. Once more it dissipated and once more he was drenched with water, but now his breathing was heavier. Though he wasn't exactly gasping for breath, the strain of using that Jutsu so fast had had its effect.

"It seems… you're quite the cunning one." he said, as his breathing slowed, "Then I'll have to watch closer from here on out."

He turned around as Naruto appeared behind him, slicing the air with his blade. He dodged back from it, grabbing a kunai from his weapons holster in the process. The moment his feet touched the water, he changed direction and pushed forward, striking out with the short blade. He hit the katana as it came back for a second swipe, using both his hands to grip his kunai and restrain the force of the larger weapon. The two of them struggled for the upper hand, Naruto trying to bring Eko's blade to Neji's waist as the other one pushed his kunai to the left in resistance.

Both of them cast their eyes to the north wall of the valley as a loud crash emitted somewhere above. They watched as a large cloud of dust settled on the wall, Sasuke leaping out of it. The dark haired boy skidded across the rock face, his eyes fixed on the growing cloud. But there was something different about him, scattered black markings had appeared across his skin.

"Already?" Neji muttered, bemusedly. He and Naruto then cast their eyes over to the cloud as it dispersed, revealing that which Sasuke was so interested in.

"Damn, already?" Naruto said, emulating Neji. Though he had been expecting to see Gaara there, he gained a feeling of unease as he instead saw a large sphere of sand.

"Things are gonna get messy."

"An interesting companion you have there." Neji said, his attention returning to Naruto. He used the momentary distraction to push the katana away and reach in, slamming his palm into Naruto's chest.

"GUWAH!" Naruto exhaled, as his heart beat out of turn. He was knocked back by the attack, and left with a strange sensation running across his ribs. He didn't have time to stay disoriented though, as Neji was closing in for a follow up attack. With a quick movement, he slid Eko into his sheath and clasped his hands.

The wind pulsed from his palms, hitting Neji full on in his chest. He was immediately knocked off of his feet, sent flying back a considerable distance. He hit the water and fell straight through the surface, disappearing with a splash. Naruto used this chance to settle himself, a light buzzing sound was ringing in his ears. But he didn't take his eyes from the spot Neji had disappeared from. Though that attack would most likely have winded him and possibly broken a few ribs, he didn't want to discount anything. It seemed his suspicion was correct, for moments later Neji leapt back out of the water, clutching his chest and wincing.

"I'll admit… that was careless of me." he said, breathing hard. Naruto watched him warily, just how much could this guy take?! However, after looking for a few seconds, such a question slipped his mind.

The tie of Neji's forehead protector came loose, and it fell to the water dully. Naruto stared at the mark on Neji's forehead, three black tomoe spinning around in a circle. As they did so, more markings began to grow out of them, strange shapes like flickering flames or falling leaves. They descended down Neji's face, spreading out and filling up a lot of his skin. It passed down his neck, arms and even his legs, until his entire body looked like it was covered in the shadow of fire. As this happened, a smile spread across his lips, which slowly split apart into a wide and cunning grin.

"It looks like you too have grown stronger since our last match." he said, as he raised his hands into the bird seal, "Though I have only used this against two other opponents, I feel like I have finally found someone worth testing this out against."

Naruto tensed, trying his best to ignore the cracking sounds coming from Gaara's sphere of sand. He kept his focus fully on Neji, whose eyes slowly closed. He watched as the veins on the Hyuga's face slipped away, disappearing from view. Once more his face was smooth, his grin the only thing causing his muscles to tighten.

"Genwaku Byakugan." Neji said, before slowly opening his eyes.


	57. Genwaku Byakugan

Wow, I thought the battle would be over with this chapter. This is one of the last events to occur in this part of the story, so I'll soon move onto Part 2. So for those of you who haven't been following this story with each update, and haven't set any alerts, you should check my profile in about three days past the final update, if you want to continue that is. For the rest of you, it's pretty much the same case except you all know my habits, so I don't need to tell you how long to 's not over yet though! There's still a couple of chapters left in part one. And by the way WOOHOO! With this update I officially beat my record of number of chapters to a story!

Disclaimer: I wondered what Naruto was gonna say to Sasuke. It was cool, but coming out with "I'm really glad I met you" reminded me of a certain film about a mountain and cowboys. What was it called again?

* * *

**Genwaku Byakugan**

Naruto raised his hand over his eyes, squinting as he was suddenly glared at with a bright light. Neji's formerly pale pupils now shone with an intense white light, like the stars themselves were inside his head. The light slowly faded away, but never disappeared. It took a few moments, but soon Naruto was just able to look at Neji, who was still wearing his smile.

"What the hell is this?" Naruto thought aloud, his stance tightening. Despite how uncomfortable it was, he refused to avert his gaze from Neji. It was pretty clear that the purpose of those eyes was to distract the opponent by making them look away.

"This is something you will only get to see once." Neji replied, readying himself. Naruto did the same, preparing to dodge or defend if the need be, "Try not to die too quickly."

Naruto grunted as Neji suddenly ran at him, raising his hands in the cross seal. He called out the name of his primary Jutsu, and summoned four clones around him. But Neji wasn't deterred by the sudden increase in numbers. In fact, this turn of events seemed to excite him all the more. He reached the Naruto's and leapt into the air, avoiding all the intercepting slashes from katana in the process. He flipped over the original Naruto as the others turned to defend him, pushing him back. He landed on the surface of the water with his hands, whilst lashing out with his feet.

His kick struck one of the clones in the chin, snapping its head up and causing it to stagger back. He then turned on the spot as another clone tried to stab at him, hooking one leg around the clone's arm and after a quick pull, the other went around its neck. With a twist of his arm he forced the clone into the water and was back on his feet, where he struck the clone before him with a palm to the jest, and the one behind him with a sharp elbow.

Naruto watched as each of his clones disappeared almost at the same time. Neji had done so with great ease, seemingly no longer concerned with the injuries to his chest. But how could he recover so fast?

"_Is he like Gaara and me?"_ he thought, worriedly, _"Is it that seal?"_

"Well then?" Neji asked, slipping into his stance, "As you like."

Naruto looked Neji over, realising the position he was in. If he remembered correctly, Neji's Byakugan allowed him to see in ever direction, even if he wasn't looking there. That meant that this opponent could see him at all times, while Naruto couldn't look him in the eye.

"_Using Eko's no good then."_ he thought, as he removed his hand from the blade's hilt. Kisame had taught him that against a strong opponent one should almost always watch the eyes, for they gave away their thoughts. Since that was an impossibility, it would be safer not to use Eko for now, _"If I can't attack head on…"_

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called, summoning even more clones this time. Neji watched as seven identical copies of his opponent ran around him, forming a perfect circle around him. Each Naruto faced him, wearing the same look and thinking the same thoughts. Neji saw their plan, it was so simple he actually felt like giving up in exasperation.

"_Of course, he wouldn't know."_ Neji thought, as the eight Naruto's ran at him, hands clasping together.

* * * * *

"What is going on?!" Hyuga Hiashi demanded, his eyes wide with shock. He knelt with his hands partially raised, but seemed to be frozen to the spot. He shook lightly as he struggled desperately for the freedom of movement, his eyes flickering to the door behind the person in front of him.

"There is no one nearby." Neji said, his shining eyes as wide and excited as his smile, "Your movements have been disabled."

"What are you doing?" Hiashi asked, regaining his composure as best as he could. He gave Neji a hard, accusing stare, "And what is this Jutsu?"

Neji inwardly chuckled as he got to his feet, keeping his eyes on his uncle at every passing moment. He fingered the unravelled scroll in his hands, before quickly wrapping it back up and slipping it into his pouch.

"What these eyes are is something you Hyuga could never achieve." he explained, stepping around Hiashi to the wall scroll behind the elder man. Depicted on it were a dragon and a tiger in battle, with the symbol of yin and yang in the centre, "Something that allows me to transcend the Hyuga."

Hiashi tried to keep Neji in view, but even turning his head seemed to be a mountainous task. This was insane, no matter if Neji was a genius, no Genin should be capable of using a paralysis Jutsu this strong. However, the mere fact that he _was _using it told him many things.

"You have been planning this for a while, haven't you?" he asked, his expression turning stony, "Then I take it you still blame me for that time?"

"Hm?" Neji sounded, turning his head slightly while still viewing the scroll. He had his finger raised to his chin as he looked at the art piece contemplatively, "Ah, nothing of the sort. I have other reasons for doing this."

Hiashi's eyes turned as far to the left as they could go, doing his best to try and see Neji. As it was, he was unable to do so much as form the seal for his Byakugan. Though in most probability, if he was capable of that much it certainly wouldn't be his Byakugan he'd be activating.

"And what are those reasons?" Hiashi asked, deciding to get as much information as he could out of Neji. In the worst case scenario, the Yamanakas could trace his memories and find out what happened here.

"As the leader of the Hyuga, it is expected for you to know of all the clan's Hiden Jutsu." Neji replied, turning away from the scroll and stepping back in front of Hiashi, "You are going to teach me _all _of them."

Now that Neji was in front of him, Hiashi refused to take his eyes off the boy, uncomfortable though that may have been. Neji now faced the screen door, his silhouette highlighted by the candlelight.

"I don't know what you are planning, but you should forget that idea in any case." Hiashi said. He noticed that Neji was paying attention to his words, even f he wasn't giving the courtesy of a look, "Whatever this Jutsu of yours is, there is no way you can maintain it for much longer. When it ends, one of us shall die."

"Incorrect." Neji replied, whirling on the spot. He looked Hiashi full in the eye, his smile just about splitting his cheeks apart, "I intend for neither of us to die. My father gave his life so that you may live. I wouldn't want to waste his sacrifice, but what I require of you is great. You are correct in one thing though, and I do apologise, but I really must speed things along."

Hiashi's steady expression faltered slightly as Neji sank to his knees once more, though this time he was directly in front of Hiashi. With a gruff hand he reached up and grabbed the elder Hyuga's head, pulling him forward. Then, using his other hand too, Neji slipped his thumbs onto Hiashi's eyelids, forcing them to stay open as he neared his eyes to mere centimetres from his uncle's.

"This shall be the last time you see me, Hyuga Hiashi." Neji said, as he closed his eyes, "In fact, this should be the last thing you see ever again."

Hiashi bared his teeth in shock, desperately trying to shut his eyes, but Neji's grip was too tight. He also considered calling out for assistance, but knew that if Neji felt free to act in such a way, then there was no help.

"Farewell, dear uncle." Neji said, before his eyes snapped open, "Tenjin!"

* * * * *

"Eight trigrams:…" Neji began, turning three hundred and sixty degrees. He outstretched his arms as he lowered his stance further, until he reached about half the height of the many Naruto's. Once he had made a full revolution, he slammed his open palms onto the water's surface, "Divine Columns!"

Each of the Narutos suddenly came to a quick stop, there clasped hands and Jutsu forgotten. The water around Neji had erupted as if small explosions had gone off around him. But that wasn't all that happened. Almost immediately after the first burst of water, several more such eruptions occurred, eight individual ones. These followed in a quick stream, flying out at each Naruto at a speed too great to dodge. Each one, including the original, was struck hard from below and sent flying into the sky.

"What the?!" Naruto exclaimed, turning in the air. His eyes widened in shock as he saw each of his Kage Bunshin disappear from the several shuriken Neji threw. Then, just as Naruto began to descend, Neji leapt up from his crouching position, appearing right before him.

Neji thrust his palms out at Naruto, stabbing into his chest before the other could react. This sent the blond boy flying down to the ground, where Neji intercepted him with amazing speed.

"Hakke Rokujuyon Sho!" Neji called, as Naruto reached him. His hands flew out to attack his opponent, both of them open palms, "Two strikes!"

_Poof._

Neji's smile changed to bared teeth as he quickly grabbed another kunai. He whipped around in the air and blocked Naruto's attack at exactly the right moment. Naruto pushed forward with Eko, his and Neji's position's changing so that as they descended, Naruto was forcing Neji down to the water. He tried to ignore the earth shattering sound somewhere above, and the sound of Gaara's bloodthirsty cry of Sasuke's name. As dangerous as this situation was becoming, knowledge of Gaara's fight allowed Naruto to keep as cool and even a head as was capable of him.

"What the hell's going on?!" he demanded, as he and Neji landed on the water. Both of them gripped their weapons tight, pushing against each other in a competition for the upper hand, "What're you and that Sasuke guy doing out here?!"

Neji's smirk returned as he studied Naruto's face, the other boy's eyes squinting from the light of the Genwaku Byakugan. From the corner of his eyes, he looked up at the rock face above. That monstrous looking Gaara and Sasuke were tearing the wall apart, the former smashing it with his massive arm and the latter with explosive tags and Taijutsu, "I suppose there's no harm in telling you. Like you, we are no longer affiliated with Konohagakure."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, looking up at Sasuke. He then quickly returned his attention to Neji before any advantage could be taken. The Hyuga however seemed interested in talking, as he did no such thing.

"From what I understand, you were once a resident of Konoha, a student at the academy." Neji said, the look of interest in his eyes unnoticed because of the glare, "After several attempts to past the Genin exam, one of the teachers tricked you into stealing the Shodai Hokage's Scroll of Seals. Afterwards, you met with an individual who helped you escape and took you to Amegakure, where you became a Shinobi. And yet almost immediately after you turned your back on Ame and became a missing-nin. You have been travelling across the land since then with Hoshigake Kisame, an S-ranked criminal from Kirigakure. Somehow you got captured and taken back to Konoha at one point. Shortly after this, you escaped, before making your way to the place you and I first encountered each other, am I correct?"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock from Neji's accuracy, how could he have known that?! He knew himself that Konoha's guard on their secret documents was near iron clad, he had only succeeded on his mission to take the Scroll of Seals because the guards underestimated him. Yet this guy had managed to find out so many personal details about him… how?

"The look on your face confirms it." Neji said, with a grin to beat Kisame's, "Then that makes you all the more interesting."

With a sudden movement, Neji leapt back, skidding across the surface of the water as he made distance. Naruto did the same, he already knew that staying close to this person was dangerous. He kept his stance low, ready to charge or dodge as he awaited Neji's next movement.

The sky began to fill with thick clouds, blotting out the sun as it greyed the world below. Naruto remained tense, the last thing he needed was rainwater weighing him down further.

Opposite him, Neji straightened up. He wore a surprisingly relaxed expression for someone in the heat of battle. It exceeded that cold confidence he had when he and Naruto first thought, and so had an even greater power for aggravating the much less composed boy.

"Damn, it!" Naruto growled, his nails digging into his palms as he glared, "Quit looking so-!"

His eyes suddenly widened in shock as he felt cold, wet fingers grip both his ankles. His head snapped down to the water below, where he saw nothing except a pair of glowing white lights. He barely had time to register what this mean though, as he was suddenly pulled under the surface of the water.

"Gwah!" Naruto cried out, inhaling as much air as he could before he descended into the cold, dark river. He looked around alarmingly, he could no longer feel the grip on his ankles. He cast his eyes up to the Neji above the water, who continued to look at him with a growing smile, _"What was that, Kage Bunshin?"_

That was what he thought, but barely a moment after he formed those words, he realised they weren't true. For some reason, now that he was below the water he found the Neji up there had turned semi-transparent, as if he was a ghost of the real Neji. But that thought just confused him more. It was a Bunshin? Impossible, they had been locked in combat moments ago, that Neji had been perfectly tangible then. So what the hell _was_ that up there?

These thoughts were erased from his mind in seconds, as he was suddenly struck in the stomach. He dropped his gaze as the air was forced out of his lungs, seeing the real Neji's open palm retract from the place he was hit. Suddenly without the air he needed, Naruto's thoughts became desperation as he choked on water. He quickly turned to the surface, rapidly swimming upwards as he tried to escape this weightless world. But then to his shock, Neji somehow twisted himself around Naruto's body wrapping his own arms and legs around the breathless boy's and pinning them in place. Naruto struggled as best as he could, but Neji's grip was too tight. Eko slid from his grip, descending down to the waters below.

"Naruto! NARUTO!"

"_Can't… air…"_ Naruto thought, looking up at the surface longingly. The sun broke through the clouds for just a moment, offering its distant light down to Naruto, a calling of warmth and safety restricted by the domain of the water. As he and Neji dropped further beneath the surface, the natural course of the water pushing them along, he felt himself losing the strength to fight back. The sun slowly faded away, both the clouds and the river keeping him in the dark. He watched as the last few tiny bubbles of air slipped past his lips, rising to the world above teasingly, _"I don't… want to…"_

* * * * *

Naruto was on his knees, his hands and shins covered in strange, green water. He gasped for air, but felt no relief. At the same time however, he felt no longing, as if he had never needed to breathe in the first place. Another strange fact was that somehow he was dry, where he had been underwater before. Disorientation from suddenly feeling gravity again left him confused and dizzy, barely able to comprehend any of these things.

"Fufufu, back again I see?" came the loud, raspy voice that Naruto rarely heard, but would never forget. Warily, he raised his head, spotting the eyes and fangs of the beast inside of him, the Kyubi no Yoko.

"What- I'm?" Naruto muttered, with a confused look. Fortunately, he managed to realise his situation, and push himself so that he was on one knee. Although his clothes were dry and his breathing was normal, as the rush of adrenaline he gained from combat faded away, fatigue came in its place.

"To what do I owe this visit then?" the Kyubi asked, looking down at Naruto. He watched as the young boy got to his feet, and blink up at him confusedly. But then Naruto's expression quickly switched to a look of surprise, before becoming a determined glare.

"Hey, you're sealed inside of me right?" Naruto said, pointing up at the giant creature, "Well then, since you're not using it, gimme your chakra!"

The Kyubi's right eye widened slightly, a sign of an arched brow. It moved in closer, the unnatural light of the tunnel revealing the giant, orange face of the monstrous fox. It watched Naruto with condescending interest, as if he was watching a spider spin its web.

"You demand chakra from me?" he asked, the tone of humour not missed by Naruto, "You no longer possess that aura, so why should I do such a thing?"

Naruto faltered for a moment, but he didn't let himself be deterred. He wasn't about to regret removing the piercings Pein had given him now, he didn't need them.

"HEY, YOU LAZY ASS FREELOADER!" Naruto yelled at the top of his voice, "QUIT BEING A TIGHT BASTARD AND GIVE ME YOUR CHAKRA!"

The Kyubi stared at Naruto in pleasant surprise, his casual expression undermining Naruto's heated glare. They maintained eye contact for quite a few seconds after that. It was this that caused the Kyubi to chuckle, his black lips splitting into a grin.

"Quite a loud mouthed little brat, aren't you?" the Kyubi asked, with a pleased expression, "But from the looks of things it's desperation which is driving you."

Naruto's brow creased as he began to see what the Kyubi meant by that. For some reason, the chamber they stood in was growing steadily darker. It didn't take much thinking for Naruto to realise the reason for this, and lock eyes with the Kyubi again. The two kept eye contact for a few moments more, before the great beast let out a sigh.

* * * * *

"_How disappointing."_ Neji thought, as he watched Naruto slowly weaken. He had genuinely hoped for more of a fight than this, but it seemed like this boy really was a fool after all, _"Of all the Jutsu these eyes have given me, he fell to the weakest."_

He watched with a bored expression as the last fragments of Naruto's air slipped out from his lips and floated to the surface. Disappointed though he was, he wasn't about to leave this job half finished. He released one of Naruto's arms as he reached for his weapons pouch, searching for a kunai. It really was annoying, all his explosive tags would be useless now, _"Perhaps I should have challenged that Gaara person inst-"_

His eyes widened in shock as his Byakugan suddenly picked up a sudden burst of chakra within Naruto. He looked at the boy with a shocked expression, watching as red chakra spilled into Naruto's system, filling his body in moments. He hadn't been expecting him to be able to do this in his condition, but all of a sudden that chakra was overflowing from his body, like a sponge that had absorbed too much water.

"_Damn it!"_ Neji thought, releasing Naruto as the water began to boil. He kicked back, watching as the boy limply floated to the surface. Hastily, he too swam up, the two of them breaking through to the air at the same time, _"How is this possible?!"_

He quickly placed himself back atop the surface of the water as Naruto rose to his hands and knees. From nowhere, the drenched boy started gasping violently, air rushing into his lungs. Neji tensed, even though he was in this state, the chakra was making no decrease in speed or pressure. The water around Naruto was boiling furiously, though the blond didn't even seem to notice.

Naruto suddenly whipped his head up, as if he had only just realised where he was. Neji watched as his opponent looked around himself, before he abruptly looked back at Neji, his eyes and teeth that of a beast. He let out a low growl, turning on the spot while remaining on his hands. He raised his legs so that his feet supported him, but stayed in a low position as he glared in a feral manner. Neji tensed from the site of this bestial Naruto, but a smile was appearing on his face, _"Finally…_ this_ is what I've been waiting for."_

Naruto seemed to be watching Neji, but made no movement or any signs of attacking. Neji mused that he really did seem like an animal, waiting for any sudden movements to alert him. However, there was one troubling side. Because he was like this, Neji was finding it impossible to read his intentions. He wasn't sure there was even a method for determining what someone in Naruto's position right now would be most likely to do. This was a dangerous disadvantage… Neji liked it.

"Very well then, let us begin." he said, as he suddenly charged at Naruto. The feral Naruto picked up on this immediately and dashed at Neji on all fours, his growl rising in pitch and volume. Neji noticed his opponent's sharpened nails, it looked like he wouldn't need a kunai to cut. With that in mind, he readied his chakra to make fast attacks, so that he could avoid having his flesh drawn upon by those lethal looking claws.

Neji leapt into the air, flipping so that he was looking directly at the beastly boy the whole time. Naruto came to a sudden stop as Neji passed over him, letting out a loud and guttural scream. Neji gasped in shock as he was literally struck by the shockwaves created from that scream, the heat was so intense it felt like he had been ignited. He was forced well off trajectory, flying farther than he had expected. But he still managed to land on the ground, his stinging arms hanging low as he raised his arms defensively. Naruto had wasted no time chasing him and so was already upon him by the time he was on his feet again.

"_This is insane!"_ Neji thought, as he dodged and knocked attacks aside, _"Though he has many openings, his attacks are too fast and powerful for me to exploit them!"_

What was even more incredible was that although Naruto was putting such force into his attacks, he didn't seem to tire at all. In fact, with each swing he seemed to grow more vigorous, to the point where Neji was no longer able to defend in time. He received a harsh slash to his arm, cutting him deep. He cried out and grabbed his bleeding flesh. It was sheer luck that the clouds suddenly thickened around the sun, allowing the light of his eyes to have an even stronger effect. He managed o leap back while Naruto shook his head, gripping his arm tight to stem the flow of blood.

Naruto seemed to come back to his senses a little after that, blinking in surprise as he realised where he was. He looked at Neji, focusing on his arm. He realised that with a wound like that, Neji's offensive power had just plummeted. This was his chance, the perfect opportunity.

"That chakra really is incredible." Neji said, wincing in pain. Naruto stalled as Neji spoke, every moment the Hyuga grew weaker, "It seems that underneath all that weakness, there really does lie a demon."

Naruto bared his teeth in anger, even when he was in that condition, that Hyuga bastard still managed to be condescending. It made him want to hurt him even more, to make him bleed just like he already was. He lowered his stance, his hands clutching at the open air menacingly as he waited for Neji to say one more thing that pissed him off, _"Come on… just one more…"_

"Hmf, it looks like I'll have to use this after all." Neji said, deactivating his Genwaku Byakugan. Naruto however, was unwilling to wait any longer. He ran full speed at Neji, dragging his claws along the water as he yelled.

Neji watched him in amusement as his seal reacted again, this time all the markings on his body seemed to glow and grow, completely veiling his body in their burning light. His hair also grew and greyed at an exponential rate, snapping the tie that usually held it together. The glowing soon faded, and all the flame like marks had disappeared. However, new markings had appeared on his face.

Four black, curved hooks descending from his hairline and running over his eyes and cheeks, like rounded bolts of lightning. His normally pale eyes had both darkened, his sclera turning black while his irises turned to a shade of dark goldenrod. His hair had also changed into a very pale shade of brown, and reached just past his knees. Without the band keeping it in place, his hair spread out on either side, resembling a cloak of some kind. Loose strands also fell down his face, alongside the markings.

But it wasn't simply his superficial appearance that changed. His usual calm and amused expression had disappeared, now replaced with a ferocious grin and a creased brow. He winced as steam rose from his bloody wound, which seemed to be closing fast. Mere moments after the slash marks disappeared, he was raising the formerly injured hand and clenching his fist, the look of furious excitement including a giddy, yet guttural laugh. He looked at Naruto as the equally deranged looking boy drew nearer, and threw his hand out to strike.


	58. The eyes that see

The fight's climax, here it is. I think this will be the last chapter of part 1, I can't think of anything else to add to it. I think this may be the longest fight I have written since Sakura and Sasuke vs Sasori in The Fox's Will. In any case, for those of you who wish to continue reading this story, but haven't alerted, check out my profile around... the tenth of March. I should have the first chapter of Part 2 up by then. I know a lot of you were growing bored, but hopefully this battle has rekindled your faith in my abilities. Now that I no longer have to consider canon timeline, I can work freely and no longer need to use pointless fillers. Everything in Part 2 will be plot relevent.

Disclaimer: I officially hate the Utakata filler arc. No way am I gonna accept them bringing in natural energy like this, it's unforgiveable.

* * *

**The eyes that see**

Sasuke landed on the shoulder of the unnamed statue, water from the falls lightly spraying him as he gripped his injured knee. He pressed the heel of his foot against the memorial's neck, ready to bound off again at a moments notice. The black markings of fire that spread across his cheek seemed to accent the glare in his crimson eyes, more like a boy possessed by an evil spirit than anything else. He locked eyes with the vicious looking Gaara, who clung to the wall with his massive hand, saliva dripping down the bestial side of his face.

"Is this all?" Gaara demanded, his voice sounding both accusing and pained. He swung his head around as if her were in a stupor, his tail swishing through the air menacingly, "Is this all the power you can muster under the Uchiha name?!"

Sasuke growled under his breath, his feelings of rage increasing by the accusations made to him by this monster. He was filled with a strong desire to defeat this opponent in a way that would show him the true meaning of his strength. Though that was what he wished, he was forced to acknowledge Gaara's strength. Though he himself was bruised and exhausted, Gaara seemed almost untouched and grew more deranged with every passing blow.

"I can see it!" Gaara yelled, hugging the wall like an enraged gecko. He seemed to be in the verge of a fit of laughter, but that feeling was overcome by an intense desire to tear Sasuke apart, "Show me your will to survive!"

The killing intent that could be felt from this person was like none other Sasuke had experienced. Most Shinobi he had encountered had given off that aura in a manner that suggested they simply wanted to get him out of the way. However in this case Sasuke couldn't help but feel that this enemy's sole purpose, the only thing he desired in the world right now, was to completely and totally tear him apart. It was that adrenaline fuelled hunger for killing that actually left Sasuke feeling quite worried. Once more he was reminded of just how weak he was, and once more anger filled his eyes as he decided he would not hold back a single ounce of effort.

He lifted his hand from his scraped knee, and raised his other one as he formed three seals; the ox, the rabbit and the monkey. He then dropped his left hand so that it hovered just above the ground, his fingers gripping the empty air tight. With his other hand he gripped his arm tight, and focused his chakra carefully.

Gaara watched with a look of excitement as chakra took on a physical form in Sasuke's hand, electricity coursing across his skin and up his arm. Blue light shone on the boy's contorted features, and the sound of chirping filled the air around him as if a flock of birds were singing. Making no effort to stop this charging attack, Gaara pressed himself further into the wall, his tail flailing madly as he gave a look of longing.

"Yes, do it!" he cried, the jawed side of his mouth looking hungry, "Let me feel it!"

Sasuke kicked off the statue's neck, bounding from the shoulder onto the rock face as he ran straight at Gaara. The ex-sand-nin raised his transformed arm and pulled it aside, ready to intercept the oncoming attack.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke yelled, stabbing his arm forward.

Naruto raised his arms defensively, blocking Neji's leg as it descended upon him. Neji then fell back onto the water's surface, planting his hands on top of it. He began to whip around, bringing his other leg around to strike Naruto in the ribs. But Naruto was too fast for that, he dropped down and performed a sweep kick which quickly toppled Neji over. Naruto then added to his attack by dropping his elbow onto Neji's stomach, yet hit only water as the Hyuga rolled away.

"_His speed has increased exponentially." _Neji thought, as he moved to a crouching position with one hand pressed on the river's surface. Naruto charged at him full throttle, bringing his left arm around to his right side as he prepared a very obvious backhand, _"His reactions are much faster too."_

Naruto swiped his hand for Neji's head, his claws almost slicing through the air as the wind whipped around them. Neji however quickly grabbed the arm just before it could hit, gripping it tight. It then came to his great shock as Naruto whipped around, throwing his leg to strike Neji's now open head. But Neji just reached up with his other arm and grabbed that too, before falling back and pulling Naruto with him.

Then, with a quick twist Neji pinned Naruto's arms behind him and wrapped both of his legs around the blonde's unrestricted one. They both landed on the water, Naruto face first. Neji pressed his arm between Naruto's shoulder blades and forced Naruto's head to be submerged, the raging boy writhing and struggling madly.

However, Naruto wasn't as physically stressed as he was before. He forced all of the air out of his lungs in a single exhale, the sheer force of the chakra pouring from his mouth causing the water below to explode and throw both him and Neji into the air. Once they were both airborne, Naruto managed to grip Neji's wrists and pull his own out from their trapped position with his own strength, twisting Neji's in the process so that his left was on his right side and vice versa. In response he loosened his legs from their position and pressed them against Naruto's back. With a sharp push he flipped off and separated from his opponent, Naruto unable to keep a strong enough grip. He was however able to turn around now, his hands clasping together before pushing forward. Neji defended himself as best he could, curling into a ball as he was struck by the rushing wind.

He flew through the air, twisting and turning like a leaf caught in the breeze. He broke his position just moments before landing back on the river, ripples coursing out from beneath him. He stood perfectly straight, his hand rising into a single seal. With a quick word, he activated his Byakugan. As his range of vision expanded, he confirmed what he already suspected. In that moment where he was barrelling through the air, Naruto had taken the opportunity to summon an incredible amount of Kage Bunshin. He was completely surrounded by at least fifty clones, the sheer concept of which gave him newfound respect for the Kyubi's power.

"To summon so many Kage Bunshin…" he muttered, as he raised his other hand and formed the bird seal, "It looks like enough time has passed."

As all of the clones around him, and probably the original, began to charge, his eyes shone with the ethereal light of the Genwaku Byakugan. Though he watched the clones with complete infallible fortitude, he ignored their rising cries as they drew nearer. His bird seal then changed again, slipping into the ram as he bent his knees and channelled a great amount of chakra through his body. Once he had finally accumulated enough, he released the seal and reached out to either side in preparation. All of the clones either continued their charge regardless, or leapt into the air for an attack from above.

"Eight trigrams: Millennium Palms." he called. In an incredible burst, chakra flew from all of the tenketsu in his body, an array of needle like darts flying out in every direction. In a mere moment, all of the Kage Bunshin were struck simultaneously, and _all _of them disappeared in a large cloud of smoke. It was from this cloud that the real Naruto appeared, dropping down from the sky and lashing out.

"HAAAA!!!" he yelled, slashing out with the Ekokaeten.

* * * * *

The force of the Futon Reppusho struck Neji hard, sending him flying through the air in a ball. Naruto watched as he dropped through the air, taking this opportunity to bring his hands together again in the crossed seal.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried, funnelling his chakra into the Jutsu. All around, in every position, at least fifty clones were summoned around Neji as he landed on the ground. He raised his hand into a seal, it was clear he was going to use his Byakugan. Not wanting to give him the opportunity, Naruto and the clones all charge straight for Neji, yelling at the top of their voices.

"_This is something only people like you and I can do."_

Naruto recalled Kisame's words perfectly as he ran behind one of his Kage Bunshin. Up ahead, Neji slipped his hands into the bird seal, clearly preparing to activate his Genwaku Byakugan. That wasn't good, he didn't need him using those eyes again to hinder his movements.

"_A swordsman is nothing without his sword."_

Naruto and the Kage Bunshin in front of him both leapt into the air at the same time, the original gripping the copy's collar to make sure they stayed on the same level. Neji successfully activated the next stage of his Byakugan, and once more changed seals to the ram. Naruto looked over his shoulder, searching desperately for the faintest clue.

"_Use this, should the two of you ever be separated."_

Biting through the skin on his thumb, Naruto hastily painted a carmine seal on the cloak of the Kage Bunshin, the kanji for "reunite". He then flew through a series of seals, the dog, the monkey, the boar, the serpent and the horse. He then planted both of his hands onto the Kage Bunshin's back, looking over his shoulder with gritted teeth and a creased brow.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. The moment came where the ascension of their jump disappeared and they began to descend back towards the ground. As this happened, they drew closer and closer to Neji, who had finished preparing his Jutsu and was now reaching out to either side.

"_Come on!" _Naruto thought, before locking his eyes on a single point. The water burst apart as something seemingly small flew out of the river, flying straight for the seal on the Kage Bunshin's back. Naruto immediately recognised it as Eko's hilt and reached out, grabbing the flying blade just before it struck the clone's back.

"Took you're damn time!"

Naruto had no time to respond, however glad he was to hear the blade's voice once more. He immediately turned around just as Neji activated his Jutsu. Acting as a shield, the Kage Bunshin was struck by whatever Jutsu the Hyuga performed in Naruto's place, disappearing like all the others. As was his habit, Naruto silently thanked the clone for his help, before bringing Eko back in preparation for his attack. He channelled both his Futon and the Kyubi's chakra into the blade, who quickly grew excited from the same rush Naruto had when he had recovered from nearly drowning.

"AAAAH-HA-HA-HA-HAAAH!!!"

Naruto slashed with all his might, and Eko released chakra as he was swung around. Even Naruto was surprised by the outcome. Where his previous efforts with that attack had emitted only thin lines of near invisible wind, coupled with the Kyubi's chakra there was now a wide and very much visible arc of glowing red chakra. It ripped the air around it apart as it fired at Neji, who barely had time to react.

"Hakkesho Kaiten!" he called, forming the whirling mass of chakra as he spun at an incredible speed. The arc of chakra struck the gyrating barrier hard, clashing with it and causing several angry sparks of burning chakra. But in the end, Naruto's Jutsu was cast while Neji's was constant. The blistering arc corroded away, faint amounts of red chakra dying the blue colour of the Kaiten for a short moment as it dissipated.

"_Damn, if only Eko still had some Katon chakra!"_ Naruto thought, as he landed on the river. His impact with the ground was followed with a smooth swish as he brought Eko around again, _"Though maybe this'll do."_

Once more he swung around, channelling both types of chakra into the blade. However, rather than casting it in an arc, he smashed Eko into the Kaiten, pumping his chakra out as hard as he could. The result was that Eko's blade gained a crimson glow as it sparked off the Kaiten, neither cutting nor being tossed aside. Naruto pressed as hard as he could though, and eventually managed a full swing.

"HAAAA!!!" he cried out in effort, somehow managing to break through the Kaiten. Neji's Jutsu immediately disappeared as an arc flew out of Eko and smashed into his body, striking his chest full on.

Neji wasn't thrown off his feet however, the blade of wind seemed to pass straight through him. Instead, a long cut appeared in his shirt, along with a massive gash. He wore a look of stunned surprise as blood sprayed out from his wound, and he fell back towards the water. Naruto watched as the Hyuga slowly descended, wearing a look that showed no pity. In an instant he was back in the air, slashing down at the water below, "LIKE I'D FALL FOR THAT AGAIN!"

The red blade collided with the river, sending water spraying high into the air. Neji burst from beneath the surface, landing atop with a broad grin. Naruto landed back on the surface too, Eko held at the ready. The wall of water between them steadily descended, until both were looking at each other, seeing only each other.

"You say that, yet wasn't that the same technique you used against me in out last match?" Neji asked, with an accusing look, "Repeating the same old tricks does get stale, doesn't it?"

Naruto wasn't listening however. He had already sheathed Eko in place and ran towards Neji, his hands rising once again into the crossed seal. And like before, he summoned several copies of himself, six Narutos converging on Neji's position. As the Hyuga watched him do this, all he could do is sigh, "As I said."

He closed both of his eyes as his numerous opponents laid their hands on their blades. Though he was unaware of the fact that only one possessed the power of the Ekokaeten, he acted as though all of them could. He listened to the sound of blades sliding out of their sheaths, the long, steady screech of the metal letting him know just as much as his Byakugan did. Slowly, he opened his left eye, the normally white light of the Genwaku Byakugan now flowing black.

"Uzume." he called.

Naruto froze, his eyes wide with shock and Eko partially unsheathed. All around him his Kage Bunshin stopped too, each of them staring at Neji incredulously. The Hyuga slowly closed his eye again, and opened it to reveal the iris with white light once more. Naruto shook lightly as a feeling of terror rose in his gut. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move.

"What the- Naruto?"

"I'm stuck!" Naruto said, just able to let his voice slip past his gritted teeth. For some reason his body was outside of his control, as if his mind had suddenly become disconnected from it. He did his best to pull Eko all the way out of his sheath, but he couldn't manage a single centimetre. He watched in horror as Neji slowly walked towards him, his malevolent grin and creased brow suggesting other thoughts than his leisurely pace.

"How does it feel?" he asked, raising his hand to touch the still visible seal on his forehead, "To feel trapped in your own body, like a cage of your own bones?"

As a sense of fear rose inside of him, reason steadily slipped away from Naruto as he let out a low growl at the nearing Neji. The Hyuga saw the burning chakra within him and his grin grew even larger, almost giving a look of approval.

"Yes, I know what it is to feel that way." he said, his eyes twitching in discomfort. It seemed despite how smoothly he moved, and how confident he acted, he had indeed used quite a bit of chakra. As it was, he was beginning to really feel the strain, "The desire to strike back at the ones keeping you trapped inside. You know what that's like, don't you dear Kyubi?"

His brow cocked as he noticed a spike in Naruto's chakra. The red aura exuding from the feral boy had increased quite surprisingly. It gave him a faint chuckle, it seemed the Kyubi really could identify with him. His laughter was short lived however, as he suddenly noticed Naruto doing the same.

"Heh heh heh, you feel that?" Naruto asked, his red eyes and slit pupils shining with bestial glee, "I don't really know what it is myself, but I'm getting the feeling the Kyubi is angry."

Neji's expression turned to alarm as Naruto's body suddenly began to twitch. All around him the clones were feeling the same, each making jerking movements as they pulled their blades from their sheaths. He quickly closed his eyes, opening his left again to add more power to the Uzume. But the effect was hardly noticed, all it did was drain more chakra. He continued to walk towards Naruto, his hunched shoulders and limp arms telling the boy that this was all he could manage while doing this Jutsu. Naruto's laughter turned back into a growl, which progressively rose in pitch and volume as his face contorted into a glare.

"HE DOESN'T LIKE BEING COMPARED TO PIECES OF SHIT LIKE YOU!!!" he screamed, whipping Eko from his sheath and charging at his opponent. Neji, seeing that his Jutsu had failed, hastily deactivated it and ran forward as he regained his movement. Behind him, the five Kage Bunshin were all running towards him with ready blades. But all he needed was to strike the original, and he was fairly certain the rest would disappear.

Naruto slashed out a large arc of chakra at the Neji, the massive blade of energy zooming towards the Hyuga at a speed too great for him to activate the Hakkesho Kaiten in time. Instead, he reached back with his arms, his open palms held at either side of him. He quickly focused his chakra into both of them as the arc came upon him.

"Eight Trigrams Twin Palms!" he yelled, thrusting his hands straight into the blade. A large clash of energy burst from the collision as the arc exploded, causing the water to rise in angry steam. Naruto burst through the thin veil, not leaving anything to chance. He sliced down with a vertical cut, just barely missing Neji, who leapt back.

The boiling water rose in a vapour, filling the air with its damp mist. Naruto stood in the midst of this, the thin air and degrading stamina causing him to breathe heavier than usual. It was in this heat that he became more away of his injuries, healing though they were they still stung like hell. Across from him, Neji was experiencing much the same, blood dripping from his hands as a result from blocking that last attack.

"_Damn it."_ Naruto thought, slipping Eko back into his sheath, _"I'm finishing this now!"_

The Kage Bunshin behind Neji each did the same as the original. Their katana were returned to their sheaths before they all dashed at Neji in a great burst of speed, clasping their hands together. Neji grunted in annoyance, foreseeing their attack and rotating on the spot to defend. Chakra whirled around him, beginning to create the barrier around him.

"_No!"_ Neji thought, his eyes widening in shock. Though his hands were steadily healing through the power of his seal, at this time he couldn't accumulate enough power to create a strong enough barrier. All that transpired was a weak gust whipping around him, not even removing the Narutos from direct visibility, _"I need more time!"_

But unfortunately for him, time didn't seem to care. Naruto burst through the pathetic Kaiten, sliding down as he forced his Futon: Reppusho up towards Neji. Hit by the full blast, coupled with his already spinning form, Neji whirled through the air like a top. He was then thrown higher into the air as a Kage Bunshin struck him with the same Jutsu from below. Then, kicking off the back of that first clone, a second did the same, forcing Neji even higher as his back bent with each coming strike. This went on through the third and fourth clones, until he even surpassed the valley in height. But it was here that things changed. Up above him, the final Kage Bunshin appeared, planting his hands straight onto Neji's chest.

"FUTON: UZUMAKI DRIVER!!!" the clone yelled, forcing so much chakra into his attack that immediately after, like all the others, he burst into smoke. The cry that came from Neji's throat was blocked out by the sheer pressure of the attack, he was fired down to the river below as if gravity had increased to an immeasurable level. He turned around in the air as he saw the looming water. He knew that from this height, hitting the river at this speed would be virtually the same as hitting concrete. Impact would almost certainly mean death, and even if he managed to survive, he would be completely at Naruto's mercy. Or lack thereof.

"_Come on… come on!" _he thought, desperation defeating his normal composure. He held both of his hands to the same side, willing his chakra to the very spot between them. It was a painfully slow task, considering the rate he was descending. But after what seemed like an eternity of effort, he felt the correct amounts presence in his palms. With a sudden, sharp movement he turned in the air and threw both of his hands out suddenly, "Hakke Kusho!"

Chakra and air blasted from his palms, and incredible force on par with Naruto's Futon: Reppusho. It greatly altered his own trajectory and threw him back, sending him rolling across the water's surface. He was barely able to maintain his place atop the water, only his Byakugan keeping him from becoming disoriented. But eventually he ran out of water, and rolled on a small outcrop of land by the rock face. It was there that he came to rest, stopping face down in the dirt.

Naruto watched him for several long moments, his brow twitching and his jaw clenched as he waited for any further signs of movement. But several seconds passed with nothing, and finally he sank to his knees, dragging air in and out of his lungs.

"Haa… haa…haa." he gasped, pressing his hands on top of the river for support. Never had he felt such agony in his lungs, they felt like they were going to burst under the weight of his inhales. He bowed his head onto his arm, slouching down as he did what he could to stop his pounding heart. The red colour of his eyes faded away, leaving cerulean blue in its place. His pupils reduced back to their regular shape, and his canines shrunk back to their normal size. With barely enough energy to blink, he stirred his head in small circles.

"You Have GOT to be kidding me."

Naruto looked up as he heard Eko's words, panting and wheezing as his strained lungs began to slow. Neji was unsteadily getting to his feet, his sodden form hanging as limp as a corpse. He looked over at Naruto, the light of his eyes fading through the curtain of his own hair. His breaths came as heavily as Naruto's, his dirt covered clothes and darkened skin making him appear as if he'd been crawling in the mud. Naruto pressed his hand against his knee as he pushed himself up, what did it take to defeat this guy?!

Slowly at first, denying his aching muscles the relief they pleaded for, he began to walk limply towards Neji. The Hyuga did much the same, dropping back down to the water as he took on a very light and limp jog. But soon, both of them picked up speed, glaring at the other as they ran at each other, crying out at the top of their voices. Naruto clasped his hands together, pulling out any and all chakra he had left. Neji did much the same, taking his hands to either side of him and dragging out whatever remained in his beaten body. The gap between the two closed at a quickening rate, their yells raising in pitch each and every step.

"HaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Naruto screamed, throwing his hands forward to meet Neji.

"HyoooooOOOOOOHHH!!!" Neji responded, thrusting his palms out to intercept Naruto.

The two attacks met, blasting wind meeting smashing air. They both smashed into each other, creating an explosive vacuum that hit both Naruto and Neji in a concussive blast so great, they were thrown back into the air. Naruto experienced the same as Neji as he reeled around and around, instantly disoriented by the changes from the blue water of the river, to the grey clouds of the sky and finally, the brown rocks of the valley wall.

* * * * *

Sasuke stood over Gaara's unconscious body, looking down at the missing-nin with cold contempt. Both of them looked like monsters, Gaara with the sand covering all but his feet in a grotesque shape of some animal, he had managed to get pretty far into his transformation before being defeated. Sasuke on the other hand, had skin much the same as Neji's, but that was the closest similarity they shared. A black star spread across his nose, and his once crimson eyes were now golden. His lips had turned a dark shade of blue, and his hair had grown into a large and spiked mass, though it had paled a very grey shade of blue. Perhaps the most bizarre though, where the two, giant webbed hands sprouting from his back. He looked like some sort of bat demon, while Gaara resembled a squirrel of some kind.

The rain began to slowly pour from the sky, dripping down onto Gaara's unmoving form. The sand covering him darkened with every falling droplet, leaving him a sodden mass of brown. The hands on Sasuke's back slowly shrank back down, as did his hair. His skin lightened too, and his golden eyes returned to black. In moments, he was the same as he was at the start, albeit covered in sweat and stains of dirt.

"It looks like you won, Sasuke." came a voice from behind him. Sasuke looked back, before glancing at a small red mound lying amongst the boulders on the other side of the valley.

"You too." he said, smirking at Neji, who was back in his normal form, "Didn't expect you to get so beat up though."

"I'll admit I got a little over excited." Neji sighed. He held onto his broken arm with his badly injured one, and stood off balance with more weight on the right leg than the left. He looked quite relaxed for someone so torn apart, "It was certainly a troublesome battle."

Sasuke laughed inwardly, looking down at Gaara once more. The sand on his body was beginning to crumble, small pieces of the flesh on his face revealing themselves. Sasuke began to reach back for a kunai, wondering whether or not to finish the job, when he heard a loud thud up ahead. Looking up, his brow creased in shock as he spotted a giant of a man, covered in a heavy black cloak. Red clouds adorned the material, made even darker by the grey atmosphere. His tall collar covered the lower half of his face, while a sedge hat obscured the rest in shadow. The giant man jerked his head off to the right, signalling for the two of them to leave. Though that annoyed Sasuke to no end, a brief tap on the shoulder from Neji and nod convinced him now was not the time for more conflict. Begrudgingly, he and Neji left, running up the wall of the valley. Once they were out of sight, the giant man look down at Gaara, his expression hidden in black.

"Not bad, Uchiha Sasuke." Kisame muttered, crouching down. He took Gaara in his arms and lifted the boy off the ground, the drenched sand cracking and falling off of him like an old cocoon. He then glanced over to the place where Naruto lay, watching as Zetsu rose from the earth and took the unconscious boy over his shoulder. With a quick nod to his comrade, which was politely returned, the two of them disappeared into the rain.

* * * * *

Naruto felt something soft and wet touch his cheek. This was soon followed by more of the same, as a loud sound like sharp inhales surrounded him. It wasn't until he felt something slightly sharp hit his ear that he slowly opened his eyes, yet for some reason doing so seemed almost redundant. Wherever he was, it was quite dark, and very cold.

From a quick flicker in the side of his vision, Naruto realised that he was surrounded by each of the pups, who were sniffing around him curiously. That was the first thing that caught him by surprise, the last thing he remembered was running at Neji, and then-

"Huh?!" he cried out, snapping to a sitting position. He looked around hastily, searching for any signs of his overconfident opponent. But there wasn't even the slightest trace. In fact, Naruto soon realised that he wasn't even in the valley anymore.

Once he had adapted to his surroundings, he found out that while it was true that he was no longer inside the valley, he wasn't away from it either. To be precise, he was shaded under a tree on the opposite side than where he and Gaara had been earlier. Not far off to his right was the Shodai Hokage's statue, drizzled in the falling rain.

Naruto winced in pain, sitting back and pressing his hand on the ground. He had intended to do so with both, but to his surprise his left arm had resisted. Looking down, he found out that his arm was in fact wrapped in a sling. Giving himself the once over, he realised he also had gauze wrapped around his other arm and a large dressing on his right cheek. He was more confused than ever now, looking around for any signs of the person who could have done this.

"**Finally awake then."** came a voice from behind the tree he was taking shelter under. Naruto recognised the voice, but just watched blankly as Zetsu stepped out from the wooden obstacle and into Naruto's line of vision. The sight of him made Naruto grin broadly, and action which he soon regretted. It looked like the injury on his cheek involved quite a bit of missing skin, "That was certainly a fun fight to watch."

"Eh?" Naruto exhaled with a confused look. He then realised that Zetsu was referring to his fight with Neji, to which he gave an even more surprised look, "You were watching that?"

"**We'd be bad spies if we weren't."** Zetsu replied, stepping around to Naruto's side. He looked down at the beat up Naruto with a small smile, either nostalgia or mild amusement, "Pity about the end though."

"What do you-" Naruto began, before his eyes widened. He stared up at Zetsu in shock, a look suggesting he couldn't comprehend his own thoughts. He gaped slightly as one of the pups licked his hand, a comfort that went unnoticed, "I lost?!"

"**Gaara-san too."** the dark side replied, as sullen sounding as ever. The white side gave him a grin though, showing a little more kindness even if he had the look of a person who had just been enjoying himself, "Hyuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke left of their own accord."

Naruto slumped back, a dazed look on his face. Gaara was beaten too? That came as a shock, without the advantages of Pein's help and his knowledge of Gaara's weakness, Naruto would never have stood a chance against him. It was a surprise that he could be beaten by anyone else their age.

"_Then again, that_ was _Uchiha Sasuke." _he thought. He bowed his head, his forehead protector and fringe obscuring his eyes in shadow, _"Bastard."_

Zetsu seemed to recognise his brooding mood, or at least the white side did. He crouched down on the ground and made sure Naruto could see his face. He gave an encouraging look, attracting the younger boy's attention.

"You're only a Genin after all." he said, calmly. Naruto looked at Zetsu in a way that suggested he wasn't glad to be told such things, **"If you never lose, you can never know what it means to grow stronger."**

Naruto blinked at Zetsu in surprise, he hadn't expected such words of wisdom from him. He lowered his head, letting out a faint laugh as he relaxed. He reached out and pet Kunimei on the head, the little dog's tail wagging happily.

"Hey runt, come on." called Kisame's voice. Naruto looked up through the trees, spotting Kisame's hulking frame. He stood with Gaara's unconscious form over his shoulder, whose cloak was shredded and his gourd gone.

"Right!" Naruto replied, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet. The pups all barked up at him from his sudden movement, following him as he took a few steps away. But then he hesitated, looking over his shoulder, "Are you coming with us, Zetsu-san?"

"**We have work to do elsewhere." **Zetsu's black half bluntly replied. Naruto wore a slight look of disappointment, but when the white said gave him a small wave, he grinned before running off. He reached Kisame rather quickly for someone so injured, his healing capabilities already setting to work. Zetsu returned Kisame's nod of farewell, before he, Naruto and the pups disappeared amongst the trees, "Grow strong, Uzumaki Naruto."


End file.
